The Masked Duelist
by Agent Baron
Summary: Follow the adventures of Yugi and friends in Battle City from a new duelist's point of view! Is he friend or foe? What are his intentions? What is his obsession with potatoes?
1. The Appearance of the Masked Duelist

"The Appearance of the Masked Duelist"

By: Baron Von Stupor

            Another day, another duel is the basic formula for an average day in the life of a duelist during the big Battle City tournament.  Duelists come and go, some with bright smiles that emitted a visual taste of victory, while others, heartbroken, ran to their homes and in a violent rage, cursed the heavens for their lack of skill.  Obviously, Battle City explodes with emotion.  What the polarity may be, however, depends solely on the outcome of the duel.

            Joey Wheeler, a veteran duelist who placed second in the recent Duelist Kingdom tournament, boasts of his victory over Espa Roba, a self-proclaimed psychic who turned out to be anything but psychic.

            "I'm tellin' ya, I knew the freak show was a fake from the very beginning!" he bragged.

            "Yeah, the look of fear in your face really convinced us," replied Tristan Taylor, close friend of both Joey and Yugi, the first ranking duelist in the world.

            "What's that supposed to mean, huh?!" Joey growled and locked eyes with Tristan.

            "Who cares what it means now?  All that matters is that Joey is still in the tournament, as well as one locator piece closer to the finals," Téa chimed in.

            "Hey guys," interjected Yugi.  "What's over there?"

            Yugi pointed towards a rather large group of people looking in towards the center.  Perhaps a duel was about to begin.

            Yugi and friends hurried to the crowd and fought their way to the center so as to get a better look.  Over everyone else's voice, Yugi could hear the two people in the middle having an argument.

            One of the people was wearing a uniform that was a bit big for his size.  He appeared to be about Yugi's age.  He was scrawny, but held a mean look on his face.  He had two goons to either side of him.

            The second duelist looked much stranger.  To the best that Yugi could tell, the second duelist looked and sounded a little older than the first.  He was slim, but still a bit thicker than the boy.  He appeared tall, while sporting a blank white T-shirt that hung over his pants.  He wore bright white shoes, obviously new, and had a large slate colored winter coat attached around his neck, like a cape.  Perhaps his oddest feature was a strange mask he wore that covered his entire face.  It had large, piercing yellow-orange eyes and a culmination of pink and purple stripes.  It had spikes placed decoratively around its edges.  It looked rather intimidating.

            "Whatever!" shouted the uniformed boy.  "Just because you're older doesn't mean you can beat me in a duel!  I'm the best in my school!  Heck, I'm the best, period!"

            "You speak lies!" replied the masked duelist.  "No one can ever say they're there the best, for there is always someone better."

            "Do you really think you can come from out of nowhere, wearing your stupid coat/cape thing—"

            "You dare insult the coat of Baron Von Stupor?!" the masked duelist shouted.  The coat must be a dear possession, as he was offended quite easily.

            "Is that your name???  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!  What person in their right mind would name their kid that?!"

            The boy, as well as the rest of the crowd, began to laugh.

            "Enough!" Baron Von Stupor bellowed.  Everyone was quiet.  Von Stupor pointed to the boy and said, "Have at thee, big headed, loudmouthed duelist of unskill!"

            He marched over to the boy, pulled out a glove, and promptly slapped the boy with it.  The glove's impact returned five echoes and everyone's jaws dropped, even Yugi's.

            "I challenge you to a duel!"

            When the boy recovered from the smack, his face burned with a deep hatred.

            "I accept," he said with great despise.  "It's time to teach this minor leaguer a lesson about respect."

            Once they were ready to duel, Von Stupor offered the boy a handshake, but the boy shot a look of hate at him in return.

            "Expected," Von Stupor chuckled.

            "I'll let you go first," the boy sneered.  "I'll show you I'm ready for anything you have."

            "I'm a bit of a counterattack man myself, but fine, I'll play your way."

            Von Stupor first began by drawing and then setting two cards in his magic and trap zone.  He then played "Dian Keto the Cure Master" and increased his Life Points to 9000.

            "That's right, Von Stupid.  Gain as many Life Points as you can," gloated the boy.  "It will make your pain last longer."

            "Hmph.  Instead of gloating, you should maintain your focus on the duel, for I summon the Sonic Bird!  His special effect allows me to search my deck and place any ritual magic card I want into my hand, and the card I have chosen is the "Black Illusion Ritual"!  That shall end my turn."

            Just then, a thought went through Yugi's head.

            _The "Black Illusion Ritual"?__  I've heard that name somewhere before, but where?_

            "Ha!" scoffed the boy.  "A ritual card is useless unless you have the proper ritual monster card with it!  I now summon the "Gemini Elf"!"

            The crowd gasped.

            "Wow!" Yugi overheard Joey shouting.  "That's one of the strongest four star monsters in the game!"

            "No matter!" Von Stupor retorted.  As he said this, The Gemini Elf fell into an unseen hole in the ground and was destroyed.

            "What the?!  What happened to my Gemini Elf?!" the boy shrieked.

            "You poor fool," said Von Stupor, calmly.  "You activated my "Trap Hole".  It can halt the rampage of even the strongest of monsters."

            "But... that's not fair!"

            "Halt your childish tantrum and continue the duel, or does someone need to take a power nap?"

            The crowd oohed at the boy.

            The boy growled, "Your turn."

            "Fine then.  I  draw, and… oh, most excellent.  I summon the "Whiptail Crow" and attack you directly with both monsters.  Go, my monsters!  Whiptail Whip and Sonic Strike!"

            Both monsters struck the boy and a magnificent light burst from the impact.  When everyone could see again, the boy's Life Points had been chopped down to 4950.

            "Your turn," said Von Stupor, smugly.

            "I draw," the boy said flatly.  Then he cheered up.  "Ha!  I summon "Gamma the Magna Warrior" and attack your stupid Sonic Bird!  Gamma, fix me some chicken with your Gamma Slash!"

            Gamma's sword flew through the Sonic Bird in one clean slice, reducing Von Stupor's Life Point count to 8900.

            Von Stupor drew a card and said, "Hmmm… Gamma is still no match for my Whiptail Crow, but I think I'll bypass him anyway by playing "Fissure"!"

            The ground opened up below and Gamma fell into the darkness, followed by the ground closing itself right back up.

            "Next, I summon a second Whiptail Crow, but that's not all!  Next, I activate "Call of the Haunted", my other face-down card, and bring my Sonic Bird back from the grave for a little revenge!"

            A look of fear shot across the boy's face.

            "Wow," said Von Stupor said innocently.  "You have no monsters on your side of the side of the field and I have three.  I suppose that means I can attack you directly with all three, am I correct?"

            The boy simply stared at Von Stupor.

            "I'll take that as a 'yes'.  Boys, you know what to do!"

            All three monsters struck the boy with a deadly force.  One would expect him to be finished, but when the smoke cleared, a surprising 250 Life Points remained.

            "Come on!"  shouted Von Stupor.  "I would expect at least half of a challenge out of you!  You can do much better than this!"

            The boy became angry and clutched his fists.

            "The only reason you're winning is because you're cheating!!!" he screamed.

            "You dare accuse Baron Von Stupor of cheating?  You have a lot to learn about the art of losing if you would expect me to be cheating."

            "But you—"

            "Finish your turn, weakling."

            The boy seemed to have lost hope.

            "What can I do?" he asked, hopelessly.  "I summon Gamma once more and attack the Sonic Bird…"

            Gamma once again hacked through the Sonic Bird and reduced Von Stupor's Life Points to 8800.

            "I suppose you're right.  What _can you do?" said Von Stupor as he drew.  "There's really nothing you can do except take your loss like a man, and accept the fact that no one can truly be the best.  I play "raigeki", which destroys all monsters on your side of the field.  Next, I summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp and attack you one final time."_

            La Jinn flew to the boy and punched away the rest of his Life Points.

            "I do believe this duel is mine," said Von Stupor.

            Out of the dispute, Von Stupor gained one locator card, as well as the boy's rarest card, the monster known as "The Fiend Megacyber".

            This mysterious masked duelist is certainly a peculiar person to be around, but Yugi couldn't tell if this was a good thing or not.  One thing is for certain, though; Yugi and friends have not seen the last of Baron Von Stupor.


	2. The Aid of the masked Duelist

"The Aid of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

            It was a terrible accident, and Yugi's not in the best shape, but now he is safe.  It is three hours after Bandit Keith (while under Marik Ishtar's control) set a warehouse on fire in an attempt to steal Yugi's Millennium Puzzle.  Yugi was nearly killed and the puzzle destroyed, but thankfully, he was saved by Joey and Tristan.

            Yugi had just recently awakened.  He had fallen unconscious from smoke inhalation.  Though not fully coherent yet, he can move around well.  He and his friends Joey, Tristan, and Téa, are at a local fast food restraint enjoying lunch.

            "Guys… I can't thank you enough for saving me and my Millennium Puzzle," said Yugi, gratefully.

            "No problem, Yugi!  You know we always got your back!" replied Joey.

            "How touching," said a deep and raspy voice.  "It would be a shame to ruin the moment."

            Next to their table was a man in a large, brown cloak.  It had intricate designs on the hood and you could barely make out his face.  There was no doubt that he was a rare hunter!

            Two more rare hunters surrounded the table, preventing Yugi and friends from getting up.

            "What do you guys want?!" Joey demanded.

            "I have come to challenge Yugi to a duel for the Millennium Puzzle," said the rare hunter, coolly.

            "He can't duel right now!  Yugi just woke up from an accident!" said Tristan defended.  "He can't even think straight yet!"

            "Heh, heh, heh.  I am well aware of the accident poor Yugi had to suffer, but tournament rules say that you cannot decline a challenge to a duel."

            "Wait!" Joey intervened.  "Let me duel you instead!"

            "Your rare cards are of no use to Master Marik.  Besides, you don't own the Millennium Puzzle, either.  In addition to that, Master Marik desires the Dark Magician, Yugi's most prized card as a punishment for his resistance."

            Soon, a familiar voice spoke.  "Ha!  Your dishonorable tactics only show your cowardice!"

            The rare hunter wheeled around to see the masked duelist, Baron Von Stupor.

            "What did you just say?" the rare hunter asked, irritated.

            "Yugi is a threat, so you wait until he is weakened to challenge him," Von Stupor explained.  "You, my friend, are a coward.  That is why I ask you to challenge me in Yugi's place!"

            "Perhaps you are not intelligent enough to process what I had just said.  Master Marik wants the Millennium Puzzle and the Dark Magician and nothing else!"

            "Fine, then.  If you defeat me, you may have the Millennium Puzzle and Dark Magician.  In addition, however, if you defeat me, I promise you a rare card that only I and two other people have laid eyes upon.  Do you accept my challenge?"

            "Hmmm.  I am intrigued by your offer, and in the end, I will own those two things by defeating one whose skill can't even compare to Yugi, therefore I accept.  Besides, this is a perfect opportunity for you to learn to fear the rare hunter so that you will never insult us again."

            "Wait!" Yugi interjected.  On saying this, he appeared dazed for a moment.  The smoke inhalation had still not left his system yet.  He recovered quickly.  "How can you bet my Millennium Puzzle on the outcome of a duel???  How can you do such a thing???"

            "Tell me, Yugi, would you honestly rather that I sit idly while the rare hunters prey on the weak and ignorant?  I know you saw me at my duel with the boy in the school uniform.  Do you truly doubt my skill that much?"

            "But that's…"

            "Ha, ha, ha…  I understand your reluctance, but do yourself a favor and not underestimate the power of Baron Von Stupor.  Now sit, for I shall defend your honor, Yugi!"

            On saying this, Von Stupor stepped aside to duel the rare hunter.

            "Show your face, so I may watch it twist in agony!" Von Stupor ordered.

            "Very well, then." said the rare hunter as he obligingly removed his hood to reveal a pale face.  The rare hunter had shiny blonde hair and a malicious grin.  He looked to be older than Von Stupor, even.  "You may call me Marx.  I shall go first.  I set one monster and four cards in my Magic and Trap zone and end my turn."

            "Very well," said Von Stupor, drawing.  "I can see you came prepared.  I play 'Swords of Revealing Light'!  This card flips any currently face-down monsters face-up, and prevents you from attacking for three whole turns!"

            When the swords scattered across Marx's side of the field, his face-down card, 'Magician of Faith', was revealed, but remained in defense mode.

            "It appears that because you have no cards in your graveyard, you cannot retrieve a Magic card from it, and thus, your effect is wasted!" gloated Von Stupor.  Marx growled at this.  "I set this monster and end my turn."

            Marx drew a card and without saying a word, set a monster.  "Go," he said.

            After drawing, Von Stupor announced, "I play 'Mystic Plasma Zone'!  This raises the attack of all DARK-type monsters by 500 points!  I then sacrifice my 'Sangan', which activates his effect!  When he is sent from the field to the graveyard, I am allowed to pull a monster with an attack of 1500 or less and place it in my hand!  The card I choose shall be 'Senju of the Thousand Hands'!  Now, I Tribute Summon the Summoned Skull!  With the power boost given by 'Mystic Plasma Zone', Summoned Skull's attack is raised to 3000, bringing him up to par with even the mighty Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

            Yugi was stunned.  He had never seen any other monster as strong as a Blue-Eyes White Dragon before.

            "Baron Von Stupor is a little insane, but he sure is a serious duelist!  I sure am glad he's on our side!" Tristan said, astonished.

            "Idunno," added Joey.  "For some reason, I just can't trust this guy all the way, you know?"

            Marx was not affected at all by the situation.  In fact, he found it quite funny.

            "You fool!" he laughed.  "You've just activated my face-down card, 'Trap Hole'!  Since your monster's attack is 1500 or greater, it is automatically destroyed!"

            "What???" cried Baron Von Stupor.  "No!  Now I have no defense for my Life Points!"

            "Oh, no!  That may have been a fatal mistake!" said Yugi.  "Von Stupor needs a defense—and fast!"

            "My turn," announced Marx.  "I'll set this monster and Flip Summon the Vorse Raider!  Since I still cannot attack, I shall end my turn.  Only one more turn remains before you feel my wrath."

            "Marx is also a powerful duelist," said Yugi.  "The Vorse Raider has 1900 attack points, just like the Gemini Elf, making it one of the most powerful monsters in the game!  What's even worse is that the Vorse Raider is a DARK-type monster, which gives him the power bonus from 'Mystic Plasma Zone' as well, giving him 2400 attack points!"

            Von Stupor silently drew the next card.

            "I shall summon Senju of the Thousand Hands!  His effect lets me search my deck and place any one ritual monster card into my hand, and the card I choose is 'Relinquished'!"

            Yugi broke into a cold sweat at the sound of that name.

            _I knew I'd heard it somewhere!_  Yugi thought.  _That was a monster only Pegasus owned!  What is Baron Von Stupor doing with it?!  Is he really trying to help me???  Furthermore, who is he???_

            "I'm not strong enough to attack the Vorse Raider yet, so I'll end my turn," declared Von Stupor.

            "A wise move on your part," mentioned Marx.  "I'll simply set this monster for this turn, since I still cannot attack.  However, once I end my turn your 'Swords of Revealing Light' will be destroyed, and I will be free to attack."

            Marx ended his turn and all the swords surrounding him dimmed out.

            "Heh, heh…" Von Stupor chuckled after he drew his card.  "My 'Swords of Revealing Light' have protected me well and I shall not let them do so in vain!  I shall summon the Copycat!"

            "What are you talking about?  That monster only has 0 attack and defense!"

            "He is right now, but when he is summoned, he automatically copies the attack and defense of one selected monster anywhere on the field!  Now, guess which monster I'm going to copy?"

            "Perhaps my Vorse Raider?"

            "Ha, ha, I think not, O stinky cloaked one!"

            "Then it would have to be Senju!"

            "Guess again, O shamer of burlap sacks!"

            "Surely it's not going to copy itself—"

            "Indeed, you are correct!  It shall copy the Vorse Raider!"

            "What???  But you just said—"

            "Silence!  You will disrupt the potatoes."

            "I'm dueling a fool…" Marx said, shaking his head.  He was beginning to lose his patience.  "It doesn't matter now, though.  Since you copied my Vorse Raider, the Copycat's attack is over 1500, enabling me to activate my second 'Trap Hole', ha, ha, ha!"

            "No!  How can one get more than one 'Trap Hole' so fast?!"

            Just as fast as the Copycat was summoned, it fell into the hole waiting beneath it, never to be seen again.

            "Grrr…" Von Stupor growled.  "Senju, attack the Magician of Faith with your Slap of a Thousand Hands!"

            Marx was enjoying himself.  "You have now activated another face-down card of mine!  It is called 'Fairy Box'!  It allows me to flip a coin whenever a monster of yours attacks!  If I call it correct, your attacking monster's attack will become 0 for the remainder of your Battle Phase!"

            This surprised Von Stupor.  "Oh, no!  That means if he calls it right, Senju will be destroyed and I will take 850 points of damage to my Life Points!"

            Marx searched his cloak's many pockets for a coin, but to no avail.

            "Harrumph!" he grunted.  "Do you have a coin?"

            "I have a token from "Bullwinkle's" that you may use."

            "…What??  What are you talking about?"

            "You know, "Bullwinkle's", it's a kids place, kind of like—"

            "Never mind, just never mind.  Let me see it."

            Von Stupor handed over his token.  As Marx flipped it, he called Heads.  The token showed Tails.

            "Blast!" Marx cursed.

            Senju dashed to the Magician of Faith and wildly flailed its thousand hands at it until it exploded, signaling its destruction.

            "Since I still cannot take on your Vorse Raider yet, I shall stall once more by playing 'Nightmare's Steel Cage', which prevents any monsters on the field from attacking for two more turns!"  Von Stupor announced.

            "I am beginning to lose my patience," grumbled Marx to his cohorts.  "He is most fortunate to have drawn that card just as his 'Swords of Revealing Light' wore off.  It doesn't matter, though; it's only a matter of time until he runs out of ways to bide his time."

            The rare hunter drew, and sacrificed 500 Life Points to keep his 'Fairy Box' on the field.  He then ended his turn.

            "You have nothing to say?  Perhaps you feel your impending doom surrounding you," Von Stupor joked.

            "Those words come from one who has been too busy stalling for four turns to go on the offensive," Marx retorted.

            The crowd oohed at Von Stupor.

            "Eh?!" grunted Von Stupor in shock as he turned around to see a large crowd.  _I never realized we had spectators_, he thought.

            Von Stupor drew and activated his face-down card, 'Call of the Haunted'.

            "I shall return Summoned Skull from the grave, and due to my 'Mystic Plasma Zone', his attack remains at 3000!" he said.  "Next, I'll play the 'Black Illusion Ritual', sacrifice Senju of the Thousand hands, and Special Summon Relinquished!"

            "Relinquished?  What kind of monster is that?" Marx scoffed.  "It only has 0 attack and defense!"

            "Relinquished is a very special monster," Von Stupor said with an evil tone in his voice.  "He's very much like Copycat, except he _absorbs your monster and turns it into an Equip Magic card!"_

            "No!!!  That means I'll soon have nothing to defend my Life points with!!!"

            "That's right!  Come to me Vorse Raider!  Become one with my Relinquished and add to his might!"

            Relinquished turned around and locked eyes with the Vorse Raider.  It was frozen in fear.  A beam shot from the hole in Relinquished's torso and grabbed the Vorse Raider, much like a tractor beam.  The Vorse Raider struggled with all its might, but could not resist, and was sucked into the hole in Relinquished's torso.  Relinquished's shoulder flaps closed over his body, and the Vorse Raider's face and body stuck out of Relinquished's shoulder flap.

            "To get rid of your other monster, I shall play 'Raigeki'!" said von Stupor.

            Marx then burst into laughter.  "I'll counter your Magic card with 'Anti-Raigeki'!!!  Your monsters are destroyed in place of mine!!!"

            "_No!!!_  That's not possible!  That cannot be!  How?!"  Von Stupor shrieked.  He was quite angry by now.  "How can you possibly counter my strategies so many times?!"

            "Don't you understand?  That is why you cannot defeat me!  My deck is full of many different traps, one for every occasion!  Even your Relinquished cannot stand up to the might of my many traps!  There is absolutely nothing you can do!"

            Von Stupor growled.  _I've never faced anyone like this duelist,_ he thought.  _A trap for every occasion…_

            "Then I shall now summon the Sonic Bird, but I shall not use his effect!  Now, I shall attack your face-down card!  Sonic Bird, use you're Sonic Strike!"

            "…And I shall flip your token once more to determine your monster's attack strength!  I shall call Heads!"

            Marx flipped the "Bullwinkle's token and it showed Tails once again.  Marx grunted in disapproval and the bird soared straight through Marx's flipped card, 'Mask of Darkness'.

            "This mishap shall actually prove to my advantage.  The Mask of Darkness has a Flip Effect that allows me to recover one Trap card from the Graveyard and place it in my hand."  Marx shuffled through his Graveyard and chose a card.  "My 'Trap Hole' shall be my card of choice, if you don't mind."

            "Perfect," Von Stupor muttered to himself sarcastically.  "The last thing I'll need is another 'Trap Hole'."

            Von Stupor ended his turn and Marx drew his next card.

            "This card is useless; therefore I shall refuse to pay 500 Life Points to destroy 'Fairy Box'.  Take your token back," Marx said.

            He threw the token back to Von Stupor, and Von Stupor caught it.

            "I'll set one card in my Magic and Trap zone and end my turn," he finished.

            "Fine.  I'll draw," Von Stupor said, and stopped to think a bit.

            "What's the matter?" asked Marx.  "Have you learned that victory is inevitably mine?"

            "I have learned many things, one of which is the fact that the scent of which your cloak emits is much like worm castings, and that it can be picked up even by those without noses."

            "You will regret those words!"

            "The trees droop in your presence!"

            "Stop it!"

            "They shriek in pain!"

            "_Play the game!!!_"

            "Lest you want another verbal beating, I suggest you not interrupt my thinking."

            Marx's eyes bulged, a vein popped out of his forehead, and he threw his hands into the air, as he yelled in a bloody, violent rage.

            The crowd began laughing at the rare hunter.  His two lackeys marched over to Von Stupor and stood to either side of him, menacingly.  The crowd became silent and stared.  Marx looked upon Von Stupor with a visual burning hatred.  One of his goons spoke to Von Stupor.

            "If you do not halt your insults, we shall end the duel and seize your cards by force," he said.

            "If you end the duel and seize my cards by force, you will be seen by those cameras," Von Stupor replied coolly, pointing at various cameras strewn throughout the city.

            "Cameras do not intimidate us, because we can easily report back to Master Marik before we are caught."

            "Caught by the police, perhaps.  However, do you truly believe you can outrun an entire mob of angry, _honest_ duelists?"

            Marx's goons looked around them to see a large group of duelists looking at them angrily.  Seeing the predicament they were in, they slowly moved back to Marx's side.

            "Continuing the duel," Von Stupor announced.  "I shall attack your face-down card with the Sonic Bird!"

            The card revealed itself to be the Slate Warrior.

            "Once this card is flipped, it decreases one selected monster's attack by 500, which will bring the Sonic Bird's attack down to 900!  My Slate Warrior is still destroyed, but now your Sonic Bird cannot penetrate any other defense of mine!" Marx bragged.

            "Hmmm…  I'll set this card in my Magic and Trap zone and end my turn."

            "I'll draw and set one card in my Magic and Trap zone as well and end my turn as well."

            "Taking no chances on your blasted traps, I'll shift Sonic Bird to defense mode and end my turn."

            "I draw and… ha!  I summon the Vorse Raider to wreak havoc once more!"

            "Do your worst!"

            "Attack the Sonic Bird with the Arts of the Raider!"

            The Vorse Raider chopped the Sonic Bird in half with his mighty sword, but just as he did this, a javelin flew from nowhere and stuck him in his chest.

            "What's this?" Marx asked, perplexed.

            "You activated my trap, 'Enchanted Javelin'!  It increases my Lie Points by the attack power of one attacking monster!  Since your Vorse Raider gets the power bonus from 'Mystic Plasma Zone', I gain 2400 Life Points, instead of 1900, and that raises my Life points to 10,400!"

            The crowd cheered in excitement.

            "You're a clever boy, always finding ways to hold me off, but I'm willing to bet you're just about out of ways to do so."

            _He doesn't know how right he is,_ thought Von Stupor.

            "Your turn," said Marx.

            "I summon the Whiptail Crow!"

            "I counter with 'Trap Hole'!"

            "I'm glad I could entice you into getting rid of that card."

            "What?"

            "Whiptail Crow couldn't take down the Vorse Raider.  You could have just saved it for later…"

            "Hmph!  Do you end your turn?"

            "Unfortunately, I do."

            "Heh, heh, heh.  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" Marx laughed.  "Vorse Raider, attack him directly with Arts of the Raider!"

            The Vorse raider's sword impaled Von Stupor while emitting a bright light and Von Stupor's Life points dropped back down to 8000.

            "Like you said, because my Vorse Raider is a DARK-type monster, he gains the 500 point power bonus from your 'Mystic Plasma Zone'!" Marx added.  "Your turn."

            "I draw and… can't do anything.  I end my turn."

            "So, you've finally run out of ways to stall your demise.  I had a feeling it would come soon.  Vorse Raider, attack him directly!"

            The Vorse Raider gave Von Stupor a hard overhead slash and his Life Points dropped to 5600.

            "You may go now."

            Von Stupor drew and promptly shook his fist at Marx.

            "Your Vorse Raider shall embark on a journey to oblivion, for I play the 'Dark Hole'!  All monsters on the field are destroyed!"

            Marx appeared irked at this.  His two monsters, Vorse Raider and the newly revealed Cyber Jar were sucked into a huge black sphere in the sky and disappeared.

            "Next, I… end my turn."

            Marx's irritation turned back into confidence.

            "A bold move, but it's too bad you couldn't back it up.  I'll set one Magic or Trap card and end my turn," he said.

            "I activate 'Harpie's Feather Duster'!"

            "I counter with 'Gryphon Wing'!  All your Magic and Trap cards are destroyed instead of mine!"

            "It's just my 'Mystic Plasma Zone'…"

            "A small price to pay to preserve my precious traps!"

            "Hm.  Right, then.  Your turn."

            "I'll set another Magic or Trap card and end my turn.  It appears that I am now wide open.  Perhaps you should attack me now.  Heh, heh."

            "I'll not fall for such an amateur move!  I can't attack without a monster on the field!"

            Marx stared.

            "Um, never mind.  I summon the Whiptail Crow!"

            "…And I activate 'Torrential Tribute'!  All monsters on the field are now destroyed!"

            A massive tsunami flowed through the arena and washed away the Whiptail Crow.

            "Alright, then I'll end my turn," Von Stupor muttered.

            "I'll set one more Magic or Trap card and end my turn."

            "I draw and end my turn."

            "I draw and end my turn."

            "I draw… and summon the Man-Eating treasure Chest!"

            "I activate a second 'Torrential Tribute'!"

            "_Damn you to Hell, Marx!!!_"

            "Don't you see my plan?  If I can keep you from summoning any monsters, you'll run out of cards, and what a humiliating defeat that will be!"

            Von Stupor growled.  _He's right_,he thought.  _If I don't find a way to stop those traps, I'll run out of cards…_

            "I draw.  Next, I set one Magic or Trap card and end my turn," said Marx.

            "I draw and end my turn," said Von Stupor.

            "I draw and end my turn."

            "I draw, set one Magic or Trap card, and end my turn."

            "I draw and end my turn."

            "We seem to have hit a dry spell, talking cloak of stink.  I set one Magic or Trap card and end my turn."

            "I agree, masked fool.  I discard 'White Hole' and end my turn."

            "I draw… _the card that spells doom for those who cannot spell it, and for those that can, it just kind of reminds them!  I sacrifice my face-down card 'Kuriboh' to Tribute summon your bane, __Jinzo!!!"_

            At the moment that Jinzo was summoned, the lower torso area of Marx's cloak became saturated with a strange liquid substance.

            "_No!!!_" Marx shrieked.  "Not Jinzo!  He negates the effects of all Trap cards!!!"

            The crowd went into an uproar.  Even Yugi and his friends began cheering.

            "I'm not finished yet, stinky!  I'll combine my 'Sword of Dark Destruction' and 'Axe of Despair' and equip them to Jinzo, increasing his attack by 1400, giving him a grand total of 3800 attack points!  Since you also have no monsters on the field, I shall attack you directly!  Go, Jinzo!  Blast of Dark Despair!"

            Jinzo charged up a mighty bolt of mental energy within his fused weapon, Blade of Dark Despair, and launched it straight at Marx.  It created an awesome explosion so loud that all of Battle City became silent.  All within viewing distance came to see what was happening.

            "Make your play, O wearer of feces!" Von Stupor jabbered.

            Marx, hardly caring what Von Stupor said, and becoming quite frantic, drew his next card.

            "I am assuming that because your five Magic and Trap card spaces are already filled up, you cannot play any Magic cards this turn!" Von Stupor said.

            Marx dropped his hands to his sides and looked sorrowfully to the ground.  He let his cards fall from his hand and ended his turn.

            "Jinzo, finish him off," ordered Von Stupor.

            Once again, another loud explosion from the Blade of Dark Despair and Marx was finished.

            The crowd erupted into cheers as Marx sulked in place.  He slowly became angrier and angrier until he finally snapped.

            "_That's enough!!!_" he screamed.  "_Get his cards now!!!"_

            Marx and his flunkies then charged Von Stupor.  Yugi covered his eyes while Joey and Tristan tried to force their way through the crowd to help Von Stupor.  Meanwhile, Von Stupor reached into his coat/cape and began pulling things out.

            "Eat mouse ball, sore losers of ignorance!" he shouted and pegged Marx's lackeys between the eyes, stunning them momentarily.

            He then pulled out a handful of computer keys and threw them into the face of Marx.  This surprised Marx and he stopped for a moment.  Von Stupor seized this opportunity by taking off his coat/cape and clobbered Marx in the side of his head with it.  Marx went down like a sack of potatoes.  By now the other two rare hunters had recovered and came at Von Stupor once more.  Von Stupor simply grabbed one, spun him around, and using the rare hunter's momentum, swung him into the other.  They both fell to the ground.

            By now, Joey and Tristan had made it to Von Stupor.  They kept watch over Marx's cronies and made sure they didn't get back up.  Von Stupor marched over to Marx and claimed his rarest card and locater piece.

            Holding up a 'Mirror Force', Von Stupor said to Marx, "I do believe this card is now mine."

            By now the crowd was roaring, patting Von Stupor on the back, and giving high fives as well as handshakes.  When the excitement died back down, Von Stupor spoke to Yugi.

            "I believe this card belongs to you," he said.

            "No, keep it.  You may have accepted that challenge in my place, but you won it fair and square.  You can call it thanks for defending my 'Dark Magician' and Millennium Puzzle!" Yugi replied.

            "Yeah you're alright in my book, Von!" said Joey.

            "Many thanks," Von Stupor replied.  "Well, I suppose I should be on my way."

            "Wait!" Téa interjected.  "Why not come with us?  You don't seem to be traveling with anyone."

            "Are you sure?  I would not want to burden you..." asked Von Stupor.

            "Naw, come and join us!  We can always use another friend," added Tristan.

            Well, in that case, I see not why not.  I shall join you!  Potatoes!"

            Thus, Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Téa, and Baron Von Stupor continued the Battle City tournament together.


	3. An Interview with the Masked Duelist

An Interview with the Masked Duelist

By: Von Stupor

            Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Téa, and their newest ally Baron Von Stupor were enjoying their evening eating outside of a local Battle City restraunt.  Yugi and Tristan were eating Niku-itame, while Joey had Shoyu Ramen.  Téa, not very hungry, simply had Nimono.  Von Stupor, however, had not received his meal yet, as he was too busy arguing with the waiter over the fact that they don't sell lasagna.

            The waiter was a young man, rather impatient.

            "I'm very sorry, sir, but we cannot make special orders.  This is a traditional Japanese restraunt, and we do not sell any spaghetti, or lasagna, or any other pasta dish you are wanting.  If you must have pasta, we could make some ramen," said the waiter sternly.

            "How can one ingest his or her daily supplement of tomatoes?!"  Von Stupor ranted.

            "Welcome to Japan, sir.  _We do not make Italian pasta dishes._"

            "How dare you speak to your customer in that manner!  Let me see your manager, for this is outrageous!"

            The waiter rolled his eyes and scuttled off to get the restraint manager.

            Von Stupor turned to the others and said, "Watch this.  It shall be quite humorous."

            A minute later, the manager came to Von Stupor.  The manager looked rather plump, and had a bald spot on the top of his head.  The waiter stood further away and watched Von Stupor with a pompous smile.

            "What is the problem sir?" asked the manager.

            Von Stupor lost his angry tone and spoke in a calm, collected manner.  "I don't know about you, sir, but I do believe your employee is quite mad," he said.

            "What makes you say that, sir?" inquired the manager.

            "Well, he came over with an irritated look in his eye, as if he had had a bad day today.  I simply asked for the _special and somehow he began ranting about not having any __pasta.  How he got "pasta" out of "special", I may never know, but I do wish he could have his facts straight.  Is he, perhaps, hard of hearing?"_

            The manager walked to the waiter and spoke to him.  "Are you deaf—I mean, do you have… you know, weak ears?"  he asked the waiter.  He had clearly been trying to ask him in a way he could understand while still trying to be sensitive about it.

            The waiter gave the manager an odd look and said, "Sometimes I can be hard of hearing, if that is what you're getting at.  Why do you ask, sir?"

            The manager looked at Von Stupor, back at the waiter, and then proceeded to shuffle back over to Von Stupor without answering the waiter.

            "I apologize for the inconvenience," the manager informed Von Stupor.

            "I would hope so," Von Stupor replied.  "…After the verbal thrashing I received."

            "What?" asked the manager, looking surprised.

            "That heathen threatened to throw me out of the restraunt unless I ordered something they served, and I wasn't about to change my order because of his deaf ears.  It… made me quite sad."  Von Stupor emitted a fake sniffle.

            "Well… I'll tell you what.  You and your friends may eat here free, compliments of the restraint.  I'll have the chef fix up a special for you, alright?" the manager offered, reluctantly.

            "It won't help my hurt feelings any, but… I suppose it will do."

            The manager nodded and walked away.  He instructed the waiter to follow him.

            "Von Stupor, you're a trip," Joey said.

            "You should be ashamed of yourself," Téa scolded.  "This restraunt works hard to make its money!  Don't you have a conscience?"

            "The restraunt doesn't work hard enough if they couldn't see through my trickery.  Besides, I added your choices in my head and came up with a total greater than 12,000 yen.  If you want to pay that kind of bill, then be my guest.  You should be calling it a favor."

            Téa's gaze shifted to the ground.  She shook her head and sighed.

            "Von Stupor, I think I've changed my mind about you," said Tristan.  "You're alright, man."

            "Yugi, why so quiet?" Joey asked Yugi.  "Come to think of it, where's your grandpa at?"

            "He wanted a break from the excitement, so he went back to the hotel," Yugi replied.

            "Hey, Von Stupor.  I think since all the dueling's over and all, we can get to know you better.  You don't mind if we conduct an interview, do you?" Tristan asked.

            "If you dare, then go right on ahead."

            "Alright, then.  First off, what's your real name?"

            "I am… Baron Von Stupor."

            "No, I mean your _real name."_

            "…Baron Von Stupor."

            "I want to know the name your parents gave you!"

            "Baron Von Stupor."

            "Your parents named you Baron Von Stupor?"

            "No."

            "…Then what did they name you?"

            "Von Stupor."

            "They named you Von Stupor?

            "No."

            "What the heck did they name you, then?!"

            Joey then interrupted the conversation so Tristan could cool off.

            "Alright, next question!  What's with the mask?"

            "What mask?"

            Joey stared at Von Stupor incredulously.

            "The mask right there on your face!" Joey pointed out, raising his voice slightly.

            "Oh, this one."

            "Yeah, that one!" Joey mocked.  "What is it?"

            "It's a mask."

            Joey began to growling and clenching his fists.

            "Joey, let's calm down now," Yugi said, nervously.

            Von Stupor sat, staring at Joey, his head cocked to the side.

            Joey caught himself and began laughing.

            "I see what's going on here!" he said.  "You're just screwing with me!"

            "Ha, ha, you've found me out," replied Von Stupor.  "This mask, my friend, is none other than Majora's Mask."

            "Wait a minute, you mean from 'The Legend of Zelda'?"

            "Indeed."

            "Hey, I played that game one time!"

            "Ha, ha, so have I."

            "Don't you ever take it off?"  asked Téa.

            "To do such would be un-Von Stuporish!"

            "You never ever take it off?" asked Yugi.

            "Blasphemy!"

            "How come you never take it off?" asked Tristan.

            "I have many resons, which would you like to hear?"

            Everyone stared at Von Stupor, confused.

            "Well, if I must give an answer, this one should work: If one knows the author of this story well enough (mind you, none do) one can put two and two together and deduce the answer," Von Stupor answered.

            "What about your coat?" Joey asked.  "Why wear it like a cape?"

            "Because it _is a cape, silly face!  It is both a coat and a cape, therefore it is my _cope_.  Don't you find it rather fashionable?"_

            "Actually, I think it's kind of ugly," Joey answered.

            "Joey!  That's very rude!" Téa reprimanded.

            "Well, then," said Von Stupor.  "If that is the case, I must be on the right track!"

            Once again, everyone stared in confusion.  Just then, another waiter came with Von Stupor's meal.

            "There is someone who wishes to speak with you, baron Von Stupor," he said.

            "Who might that be, O bringer of nutrients?" Von Stupor inquired.

            Just then, a large, glowing golden eye appeared on the waiter's forehead, and his voice became drastically deeper and distorted.

            "Greetings, Baron Von Stupor.  I am known as Marik," the waiter said.

            "Ah, yes.  I've heard of you.  How's life treating you?"

            "Don't be a fool.  I have learned that you defeated one of my rare hunters in a duel, is this true?"

            "Indeed.  Their cloaks are like various stinky things when it comes to smell."

            "I designed those cloaks!  Watch your tongue!"

            "Your designing skills are good, but your choice in materials is like crap, for crap is stinky, as are the cloaks."

            "The cloaks smell fine!  Hold your tongue!"

            "Stinky stinky stinky stinky stinky stinky!!!"

            The waiter possessed by Marik lunged at Von Stupor.  Von Stupor rolled backward out of his chair and Marik flew over him, landing on the floor belly-first.  Von Stupor stood up, but Marik was up first and threw a hard right at Von Stupor.  Surprisingly, Von Stupor took the hit.  Marik, instead of hitting Von Stupor's face, hit his mask instead, and Marik's hand emitted a sickening crackle.  This must have broken the spell, because the waiter hunched over in pain and howled in his true voice.  The police came to take away the waiter, but not before Von Stupor thanked him for the meal.

            "Hey, Von, how do you plan on eating that if you won't take off the mask?" Joey asked.

            "Like this," Von Stupor answered, and he took his noodles and fed himself by putting the food under the mask from the bottom up.  As he ate, food began to accumulate on the bottom of his mask.

            "Your mask is… getting corroded," Téa mentioned.

            "Yes, I see that.  That is why these little wonders were created," Von Stupor replied, wiping his mask with a napkin.

            "Hey, Yugi," Joey whispered.  "I bet his face is bleach-white under that mask."

            Though it was a little rude, Yugi couldn't help but snicker a little bit.

            "What?" said Von Stupor, noticing Yugi.  "What is this you laugh about?  You snicker as if I were some insane person of insanity who takes great pleasure in standing around in an unfashionable winter coat while wearing a mask when it is nowhere near Halloween."

            "Actually, I have another question, if you don't mind," Yugi said to Von Stupor.

            "Shoot."

            "Well, I've never seen you around here or Domino City.  Where did you come from?"

            "I hail from the land of America.  Don't be mistaken, I do not represent Americans.  If I did, I would be killed for creating such an image for those poor fools."

            "Wait a minute…" Téa interrupted.  "You actually realize how you're acting?"

            "Ha, ha, ha… one could say that.  I know that the way I act does not conform with conventional human etiquette, but I like it better that way.  Seeing the looks on people's faces as they realize that some nut that is beneath their social class has defeated them, thus ruining their reputation simply fills me with joy.  Actually, one could consider me bait.  Bait for fools, those who prey on the weak, those who think they're the best.  I am the one that can teach them the err of their ways.  I hope to be the one to rub out bad sportsmanship."

            "So, you just act that way to teach people a lesson," said Tristan.  "That doesn't make a whole lot of sense."

            "I act the way I do because it is my personality, and nothing more.  You cannot deny who you are.  However, I use my erratic behavior to my advantage.  Do I hurt anybody?  Do I inflict pain and suffering?  No, I use it for the good of man."

            "So let me get this straight…  You can't control the way you act, so you take advantage of it?" Joey asked.

            "Indeed.  Bad sportsmanship is everywhere.  People see me and think, 'Look at that wacko.  I bet I could whip him in duel monsters.'  That is when they mock my skill, my appearance, me.  Then, I crush them.  Their illusion is shattered.  They are not the best, nor will they ever be, because no matter what their skill level may be at, there is always someone better.  That is the same with me."

            "Wow, you've got some noble intentions.  Well… kind of… I guess…" Yugi said.

            "Ha, ha, ha… I wouldn't expect you to understand.  To be brutally honest, I don't even fully comprehend why I do what I do.  All I know is that I do what I do and I have no problem with it thus far."

            Von Stupor finished the last of his meal and everyone headed towards the hotel.  A rare hunter stopped Von Stupor en route.

            "Back to our little conversation," the rare hunter said in the familiar distorted voice.  He was obviously being controlled by Marik.  "I didn't appreciate the brutality you showed towards my rare hunters."

            "Antagonism is not a wise choice.  They tried to burgle my cards.  Should I have just allowed them to be stolen?" Von Stupor replied.

            "It would have been a wise thing to do, for now we are watching your every move, waiting for a chance to strike."

            "Bah!  It's no different than what you're doing to Yugi!  You been watching me since before I punished your pitiful rare hunters!"

            "Hmmm… true.  What are you doing with a Relinquished in your deck?"

            "I am dueling with it.  What else would I do, Mary-poo?"

            "Do not call me that, Von Stupor."

            "Why not?  It has a nice ring to it—"

            "…Because I do not wish to be called _Mary-poo!_"

            "…But… I like Mary-poo.  There's gotta be a better reason for you not to like Mary-poo than not liking to be called Mary-poo, Mary-poo.  So, why don't you like being called Mary-poo, Mary-poo?"

            "_Maaaaaaaaaaaaareeeeeeeeeeeeee-pooooooooooooooooooo,_" Von Stupor said slowly, being sure to overpronounce every syllable.

            "I see what you're doing," said Marik.  "I shall not attack you again.  Instead, I shall challenge you to a duel!"

            "No."

            "The Battle City tournament rules clearly state that you cannot decline a challenge to a duel!"

            "I care not, O putrid smelling one."

            "I'll have my rare hunters report you to the authorities!"

            "Have fun."

            Von Stupor turned and walked away.  Yugi and friends joined him.  Marik was left behind screaming.

            "Um, Von Stupor?" Yugi addressed.

            "Yes, ye of little size?"

            "Um, why _do you have a 'Relinquished' in your deck?"_

            "Ah, Relinquished.  'Tis my pride and joy."

            "Yes, but… only Maximillion Pegasus owned that card."

            "Ah, Pegasus.  Let me enlighten you with a story.  I consider Pegasus as a sort of role model.  We were good friends for the longest time.  We mainly communicated via the Internet.  He told me everything about his projects.  He told me about the Duelist Kingdom tournament, and even about you, Yugi.  He told me about his Millennium Eye and your Millennium Puzzle and whatnot.  He even trusted me so much as to tell me about his plans to collect the seven Millennium items and resurrect his late wife, Cecilia.  I must admit, though his intentions were honorable, I did not agree with his approach, what with the kidnapping of your Grandpa's soul.  He even told me he felt remorse for the way he planned to get your Millennium Puzzle, but he deeply felt he had no other option.  I was hoping you would defeat him, Yugi.  I hoped you would defeat him so as to show him how wrong he was in his approach, and afterwards, perhaps even help him.  Anyway, ever since you defeated him, he had stopped e-mailing me.  He didn't even respond to my e-mails to him.  Shortly before his defeat, he sent me my Relinquished, mainly because he knew that I fell in love with it on sight.  I figured that something might have happened to him, but I am unsure what.  I could be led to believe that _you did something to him since the e-mails stopped immediately after you defeated him, but judging by what he's told me about you—your shyness, your kindness—I wouldn't be able to believe such a thing.  That is when I grabbed my deck—which contained my wonderful Relinquished—and headed out here.  I figured I would run into you eventually, judging by your fame.  Does that answer your question?"_

            "You sure did," said Yugi, surprised.  "That's a whole side of Pegasus I've never seen before.  I can promise you this, though: Neither the spirit of the puzzle nor I had anything to do with Pegasus's disappearance.  We would never do anything like that to anyone.  In fact, we ran into Pegasus after our duel and saw him severely weakened for some reason, but we never found out why."

            "That is disturbing information, but vital nonetheless.  I thank you for it.  Perhaps I may find another clue later in the tournament."

            "I hope you do."

            Von Stupor nodded.

            "Could you just answer one more question before the night is over?"

            "What's that?"

            "What really is your name?"

            "Baron Von Stupor."

            "Is it really?"

            "No."

            "Never mind, then," Yugi chuckled.

            "Indeed I shall, indeed I shall."


	4. The Fanatic versus the Masked Duelist

**I would like to take this time to make an announcement.  I have a special gift for my loyal readers.  Once I receive one good review from ten different people, I will give it to you.  What is it, you ask?  It's a surprise.  However, it's Von Stupor-related and I know you won't be disappointed, so keep those reviews coming and enjoy!**

The Fanatic versus the Masked Duelist

By: Von Stupor

            Baron Von Stupor combed Battle City over, but there were no signs of duelists anywhere.  This is a sure sign that many weaker duelists had been eliminated, and that the finals are getting ever closer.  Von Stupor knew that soon, the competition will begin to heat up, as he too must be eliminated before the finals begin.

            Joey had intersected with Von Stupor many times, but the two refused to duel each other until the finals.  Eventually, Joey informed Von Stupor of a sub-tournament being held as a means to help eliminate duelists from the tournament.  The sub-tournament would be held in match format and duelists only face one opponent, meaning the number of duelists would be halved before the sub-tournament was over.

            Von Stupor acknowledged this and parted with Joey again.  He then saw someone walking down the street that looked vaguely familiar.  Von Stupor approached her.

            "Excuse me, madam, but are you perchance the semi-finalist of the duelist Kingdom tournament, Mai Valentine?" he asked.

            "You shouldn't even have to ask me that unless you don't get out much.  Of course I'm Mai Valentine," she declared, arrogantly.

            Upon closer inspection, Von Stupor realized she was lying.

            "Lies!  Your eyes are miniscule compared to those of duelist Mai of Valentine!  You cannot begin to match Mai, for you are an impostor!"

            "Naw, I was just testing you!" she said, suddenly cheerful.  "My real name is Nina and I'm a _huge_ fan of Mai!  She's my idol!"

            "Ah, I see.  I can assume, then, that this explains why you dress like her?  …And style your hair like her?  …And talk with her accent while in character?"

            "Yep, exactly!  A few years ago, I even had my nose operated on to match hers exactly!"

            "You are also wearing contacts to match her eye color.  If you match her as closely as you do, then you must also have begun dueling with her deck?"

            "Kind of.  I have been calculating what cards she has used in all of her duels for the past year!  Based on this data, I built a deck that theoretically matches hers exactly!"

            "What do you expect to get out of using another's ideas for personal gain?"

            "By matching her strategies exactly, I should be able to make it to the finals along with her and finally achieve my dream of meeting her!  I will finally meet my idol, and in the best possible place, the dueling arena!"

            "If one didn't know any better, one might assume you're quite obsessed, or that you have nothing better to do."

            "Hey, you're lucky you're not a duelist instead of a street performer or I'd cream you good!"

            "Eh?!  You are sadly mistaken, my mirroring friend, for I too, am a duelist, and am still qualified to duel in the tournament!"

            "Then I challenge you to a duel!  No one's gonna insult my idol and get off easy!  I will defend her honor!"

            "You will not even begin to get far in life mimicking others.  You must begin to find your own solutions to problems, as—"

            "Draw your hand and go!"

            Sighing, Von Stupor drew his hand and prepared to duel.

            "I shall begin by drawing and set three Magic or Trap cards, that shall end my turn," Von Stupor said.

            "Only an amateur would make that kind of mistake!  You should always be able to summon or set a monster on your first turn or you'll never survive!  Already your deck is showing signs of weakness!  I summon the Cyber Harpie and attack you—"

            "Not so fast!  A good trap in the beginning can make up for a poor beginning defense!  I activate 'Trap Hole', destroying your monster!"

            The ground suddenly collapsed from under the Cyber Harpie.  This caught it off-guard and it fell to its doom.

            "Fine then, I'll finish my turn by playing 'Rising Air Current', which raises the attack of all WIND-type monsters by 500!"

            _That won't be too good, Von Stupor thought.  __I must dispose of it as soon as possible._

            "I'll summon Senju of the Thousand Hands and attack you directly!  In addition, I'll use his effect to place a ritual monster card from my deck to my hand!" announced Von Stupor.

            Senju ran over to Nina and wildly flailed his thousand hands at her.  His ferocious attack did not stop until her Life Points were at 6600.

            "What's 1400 Life Points when I still have 6600 left?  Besides, your 'Senju of the Thousand Hands' will be helpless against the Faith Bird!" she said arrogantly.

            Senju looked quite surprised to see the large bird loom over him.

            "Attack Senju with your Raging Dive attack!"

            The Faith Bird raised high into the air and dove at Senju, but rather than striking him, it slashed its talons through one of three priests that had mysteriously appeared in front of it.  The priest, tattered and bloody, dropped to the ground and disappeared with the other two.  Senju remained, but Nina appeared confused.

            "If in the case that you did not notice, I have activated my Trap card, 'Waboku'!  It reduces all Battle Damage from your monsters to 0, rendering their attacks ineffective from the beginning of activation to the end of the turn!" Von Stupor explained.

            "Why would you do that?  It's only 100 Life Points.  You wasted your card!"

            "You may look, sound, duel, and somewhat act like Mai, but it is a shame that you cannot begin to think like her.  As you shall see in my next turn, there is a method to my madness."

            Nina simply glared at Von Stupor.

            "I shall begin my turn," Von Stupor began.  "…By beginning the beginning of my comeback!  I shall begin the Black Illusion Ritual!"

            Two goblets and a large pot bearing the image of the Millennium Eye appeared.

            "To begin the beginning of the Black Illusion Ritual, I must first tribute a monster!  Senju shall aid me in this!"

            Senju turned into a stream of light and flowed into the pot.

            "So ends the beginning of the ritual."

            Nina gave Von Stupor a look of confusion.  A great fire flared from either goblet and was sucked into the pot.  Then, there was a great rumble and Relinquished burst from the pot.

            "Come to me, Faith Bird!" Von Stupor commanded as the Faith bird was sucked into Relinquished's torso.

            "I shall now attack you directly!  Behold!  Your defeat begins!"

            Relinquished floated over to Nina and sent a fearsome slash through her waist, and her Life Points sunk to 5100.

            "You are beginning to lose a lot of Life Points.  5100 is more than a quarter.  Are you still confident, or do you begin to worry?" Von Stupor asked.

            Nina appeared nervous until she drew her card.

            "I don't know what that thing is or what your obsession is with the word 'begin', but it doesn't matter now!" she gloated.

Von Stupor's head cocked.

"I'll play 'Raigeki', and your fearsome Relinquished is automatically destroyed!"

            A dark cloud appeared over Relinquished and a bolt of lightning shot down towards it.

            "Tut, tut, my unoriginal copycat!  I activate 'Magic Jammer'!" Von Stupor said.

            The Raigeki bolt slowed to a halt and froze for a few seconds.  It then reversed direction and was sucked back into the clouds and everything cleared away.  Relinquished wiped the sweat off of its forehead.

            "I'll discard 'Summoned Skull' to pay the price for activating this card and end my turn."

            Nina became nervous once again.  She set a monster and quietly ended her turn.

            "You are beginning to be quite quiet, Pseudo-Mai.  The true Mai Valentine is quite arrogant and talkative.  Relinquished, attack that set monster!"

            Relinquished attacked the face-down card to reveal the Morphing Jar #2.

            "Your Relinquished is sent back to your Deck!"  Nina blurted, breaking her silence.  "I don't care what you have to say, I will win this duel one way or another, and I will meet my idol!!!"

            "Gasp!" Von Stupor gasped.  "Now I have to draw until I have the same number of monster cards that are 4 stars or lower that were sent back to my deck and special summon them in face-down defense position!  Any others are sent to the graveyard!  This is quite the disappointment."

            Von Stupor drew 'Seven Tools of the Bandit'.

            "Blast!" he said.

            Next he drew 'Negate Attack'.

            "Blast!"

            Then he drew 'Pot of Greed'.

            "Blast!"

            Finally, he drew 'La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp'.  La Jinn was set and Von Stupor ended his turn.

            "I'll summon the Blue-Winged Crown and attack your face-down card!" Nina announced.

            Another large bird appeared and attacked the face-down card.  La Jinn was destroyed.

            _Blast it all!  I've run out of ways to defend myself already, Von Stupor thought.  __Perhaps I can bluff._

            "I'll eliminate your 'Rising Air Current' by playing 'Mystic Plasma Zone', my field magic card!  I'll set one _super ultra mega rare Trap card specifically aimed towards severely punishing those who attack me and end my turn."_

            "I can see right through that bluff!  Only an amateur would try a minor-league move like that!  I shall summon a second Blue-Winged Crown and attack you directly with both!"

            "No!" Von Stupor cried as both big birds streaked through either side of him.  "Now I only have 4800 Life Points left!"

            "Your turn," Nina said, smirking.

            "I draw…"  _And begin to rip my hair out!  Why must I have such a dry spell?!  Is it so hard for me to draw but one monster?!  I haven't a single one in my hand!!!  Perhaps… this trap may help, though… thought Von Stupor._

Von Stupor set one Magic or Trap card and ended his turn.

            "This would be a time where I would say something quick, witty, and/or insightful, but since I am at quite a disadvantage and can't think of anything, I shall simply say nothing.  …Except that, what I just said doesn't count."

            Nina looked at Von Stupor blankly and said, "Maybe if you concentrated on the duel a bit more instead of acting like a 5-year-old, you wouldn't be at such a disadvantage."

            "You dare insult Baron Von Stupor?!"

            "Yes, and I don't think you have much to say about it, either."

            "Hmph!  Once I emerge the victor, I will have no need for talking; simply a quite vulgar gesture followed by my departure will suffice!"

            "I've heard enough of this!  Attack, my Blue-Winged Crowns!"

            "I shall activate 'Magical Cylinder'!  It negates your monster's attack and inflicts it to your Life Points instead!"

            While one Blue-Winged Crown dove through Von Stupor, the other flew into a cylinder that appeared next to Von Stupor.  It soared out of another cylinder conveniently aimed towards Nina and slashed her as well.

            "It seems we're about even now, since I have 3600 Life points left," Nina said.

            "…And I, 3200," agreed Von Stupor, drawing.  "I shall now summon the Copycat!  In summoning it, I shall activate 'Metalmorph' and chain onto it the 'Axe of Despair'!  Next, I shall copy the attack and defense of the Blue-Winged crown, giving my Copycat quite a grand attack total of 2900!"

            The Copycat grew much bigger from the copying the Blue-Winged Crown, and now wielded a large, metallic axe.

            "Go, my Copycat!  Attack the Blue-Winged Crown to the right!"

            The Copycat threw its axe at the right Blue-Winged Crown on the right.  The bird let out a shriek of surprise and the blade lodged itself into the bird's chest.  The bird dropped to the ground and disappeared as the Copycat retrieved its axe.

            "What?!  I have 1400 Life Points left???  But how???" Nina asked.

            "In addition to increasing the Copycat's attack by 300, it also increases its attack by half of the attack of the monster it is attacking for the duration of the attack!  My Copycat's attack is now quite unmatched, for its attack will always be greater!" Von Stupor boasted.

            "I can still come back from 1400 Life points.  I've done it before, I'll do it again."

            "_You have or __Mai has?"_

            Nina remained silent and drew a card.  She shifted her Blue-Winged Crown to defense mode and ended her turn.

            "Copycat, destroy the second Blue-Winged Crown!"

            The Blue-Winged Crown fell under the Copycat's might.

            Von Stupor set a Magic or Trap card and ended his turn.

            Nina set a monster and ended her turn.  She was growing increasingly nervous.

            "Why do you sweat?  It is not hot today.  Do not worry, for if you are hot, the shadow of defeat will arrive quite soon to cool you."

            His comment was received with a quick glare.

            "Rudeness is rude!  Practice your manners!  Destroy the face-down card!"

            The face-down monster, Axe Raider, stood no chance.  Von Stupor set a Magic or Trap Card and ended his turn.

            Nina's eyes lit up with her next card.

            "This is it!  It's time for my big comeback!  First, I'll summon the Cyber Harpie!  Next, I'll play two 'Elegant Egotists' to summon two sets of Harpie Lady Sisters!  I'll equip one set with my 'Cyber Shield', and finally play a second 'Rising Air Current'!  Now your 'Mystic Plasma Zone' is destroyed, and I have the advantage!"

            Nina's Harpie Lady Sisters now sported metallic armor and whips, and due to the 'Rising Air Current', the wind around the arena picked up dramatically.  Von Stupor's cope flapped erratically in the wind.

            "Go, why cyber shielded Harpie Lady Sisters!  Attack the Copycat with your Cyber Trio Trouncing!"  Nina commanded.  "Feel the wrath of Mai Valentine!"

            "All I feel is the urge to activate my face-down card, 'Rush Recklessly'!  It increases the attack of a selected monster by 700 for the duration of the turn!"

            The Copycat and Harpie Lady Sisters collided in the middle of the arena.  The Copycat wildly flailed the axe around and by pure luck, looped off the heads of all three sisters.

            "_Noooooo!!!" screamed Nina as her Life Points dropped to 750._

            "Copycat, finish the job with her Cyber Harpie!" commanded Von Stupor.

            The Copycat slashed the Cyber Harpie and eliminated Nina's remaining Life points.

            Nina, heartbroken, dropped to her knees and began crying.  Von Stupor walked over to her.

            "You are… quite troubled, yes?" he asked.

            "Of course I am!" she sobbed.  "You ruined my dream, you jerk!"

            Von Stupor cocked his head at this.

            "You failed quite miserably to take into consideration the fact that there may be someone who can defeat Mai in the tournament," he said, calmly.

            "You may be right, I may not be Mai, but the real Mai can't be beaten!"

            "If that is so, then how did young Yugi Muto beat her in the Duelist Kingdom tournament?"

            "I don't care, just go away.  I only wanted to meet Mai, that was all…  And you took it all away from me!"

            "Hmmm… I am quite nearly qualified top compete in the finals, and I'm sure Mai will be there.  Why not join me, and you may meet Mai yet."

            "What?" she asked, her head snapping up.  "You'll what?"

            "Join me as I venture into the finals and you shall still fulfill your dream of meeting your idol should she be there as well."

            "I…  Thank you…  I don't know what to say…"

            "Just promise me that though she is your goddess, you shall still strive for originality.  Do not plagiarize her deck any longer."

            "Okay…  I will!"

            Together, Von Stupor and Nina continued their quests.

            "Wait!" said Nina.  "Why the heck are you saying 'quite' now?"

            "I do it because the mosquitoes tell me to."

            "What???"

            "Nina, as you will learn in later chapters, some things are simply best left unasked."

            "O… okay, then."

            Together, Von Stupor and Nina continued their quests.


	5. The Wrath of the Masked Duelist

The Wrath of the Masked Duelist

By: Von Stupor

            Von Stupor, accompanied by his new companion Nina, managed to reach the sub-tournament and enter just before it began.

            "You eliminated me fair and square, so I can't duel in the sub-tournament.  Instead, I'll root for you from the side!"

            Von Stupor nodded and walked over to the contestants only area to be paired with his opponent.  Not many were there with him, showing that the finals were close.  There were plenty of familiar duelists there; Yugi and Joey among others.  Von Stupor was ultimately paired with Weevil Underwood.

            _Perhaps if I indulge him in conversation, he'll divulge some secrets and strategies, he thought to himself._

            He found Weevil near the dock, the area he and Weevil would be dueling at.  He approached Weevil and spoke to him.

            "Well, I am glad to be dueling someone I have heard of before," he said.

            "So you've seen me on television before, have you?" he asked.

            "Indeed.  Your duels—as well as all others—are quite entertaining."

            "Well, I've heard a lot about you on the streets as well.  I hear you've got a very powerful monster with you, one that can actually absorb other monsters."

            "Ah, Relinquished.  'Tis my pride and joy."

            "Do you mind if I… could possibly see it?"

            "I'll show you my deck if you show me yours.  Ha, ha, ha."

            A look of disgust fell upon Weevil's face for a brief moment.

            "Von Stupor…" he asked.  "Are you—"

            "No."

            "Alright, then.  Just… checking, that's all."

            "There's no harm in that."

            "Right.  None at all.  Anyway, fine.  Take a good look at my deck.  You'll have to work very hard to beat it."

            "It's rather large…"

            "That's true, but have you ever heard the term 'it's not the size that matters, it's how you use it' before?"

            "I suppose so.  I try to keep my deck small, but alas, 'tis quite difficult.  Whenever I try to make it go down, it just gets that much larger."

            "Are you done looking at it yet?"

            "Yes, I am.  Here's my deck, green one."

            Weevil took Von Stupor's deck in his hand and looked through it, intently.

            "I can see it's balanced well," observed Weevil.

            "Thank you, Weevil of Underwood.  I have noticed that I feel awkward when allowing someone else to hold my deck.  I am always most comfortable when it is in my hands and only my hands.  However, as a fellow duelist, I must trust that you'll handle it with care.  'Tis the honorable thing to do."

            "You're very cautious with it, I see."

            "Yes, I like to keep my deck in sleeves whenever I use it."

            "Ah, so _this is Relinquished!"_

            "Ah, Relinquished.  'Tis my pride and joy."

            "Ever since I heard about this monster, I have tried to find out the best way to defeat it.  As it turns out, I have just now found a way."

            "What way is that, O Insect King?"

            A devilish grin streaked over Weevil's face.  Von Stupor turned to see Joey running towards him, yelling something.  He was inaudible over the murmuring of the crowd.

            "The best way to defeat Relinquished," said Weevil.  "_is__ the fish."_

            Von Stupor cocked his head to the side, confused.

            "Allow me to demonstrate!  _Say good-bye to Relinquished!!!"_

            Weevil chucked Von Stupor's deck as hard as he could over the dock, towards the water.

            "_No!!!" cried Von Stupor in shock._

            Just then, Joey had finally made it to Von Stupor, panting.

            "Crap, I'm too late!" he said, turning to Weevil.  "_You prepubescent, insect ass kissin', yellow, mushroom head lookin', four-eyed, cheatin', pint-sized little punk!!!  You're lucky I don't beat your face in right now!  The only thing stoppin' me is security watchin' my every move after I dealt with a few other creeps like you!"_

            Weevil simply laughed at Joey.  He turned to Von Stupor and cackled, "Now you no longer have a deck to play with, and because of this, you will be automatically disqualified!  _Hyo__ hyo hyo hyo hyo!  I have just defeated you before the duel even began!"_

            Von Stupor wasn't paying any attention.  He was hunched over, clutching his mask very tightly as if he were in pain.

            "Hey, Von…  You alright?" Joey asked.

            Von Stupor straightened himself back up and shouted into the sky, "_Majora__!!!"_

            A dark electricity circulated throughout Von Stupor's body briefly.  The energy surge formed a billowing cloud of dust form around him, hiding him.  When the dust cleared, there Von Stupor stood, the eyes of his mask glowing.

            He levitated into the air and shot towards where the cards were falling.  He stuck out his hand, palm out, and the cards instantly froze in midair.  He turned his palm down and every single card shot back up into his hand, stacking themselves neatly.  He shuffled them and put them into his cope pocket.  He then proceeded to float back to the dock and land softly.

            Joey and Weevil stared in awe at Von Stupor.  Von Stupor walked over to an already shocked Weevil and picked him up by the collar of his shirt, holding him high into the air.  He spoke, but now in a darker, deeper, more intimidating voice than before.

            "_For what you have done you shall pay.  Though I cannot do anything to you right now because of the sub-tournament, our duel will most definitely play a role in my wrath," he said._

            "Wh… what do you mean?" he choked out.

            "_It is simple.  The first thing I shall do to you is humiliate you and your self-proclaimed unbeatable insect army by showing your lack of skill to the public.  I shall perform this by winning our match unscathed, meaning you shall damage my Life points once."_

            Von Stupor then put Weevil back down.

            "_The match is about to start," Von Stupor informed Weevil.  "__Get your deck ready and move to your side of the playing field.  I will be waiting for you, fool."_

            Hearing that, Weevil came back to his senses.

            "Impossible!  You can never defeat my wondrous insects!" he shouted.  "_Never!!!"_

            The crowd gathered to watch the match and officials came to referee.  The head referee stepped forward to the middle of the playing area and said, "Let the duel begin!"

            "I shall go first!" Weevil announced.  Some fans cheered for him.

            "_Very well," Von Stupor agreed._

            "I shall set this monster and end my turn!"

            "_I will play 'Pot of Greed' and draw two more cards.  I then will set two Magic or Trap cards and play 'Change of Heart' on your face-down monster.  I shall tribute that monster to summon my Summoned Skull and activate 'Rush Recklessly', raising his attack by 700 for this turn and bringing it up to a total of 3200.  I shall now attack you directly.  My first turn has passed and you are already left with a mere 4800 Life Points; this is a positive sign of a novice."_

            Summoned Skull carelessly ejected all the electricity out of its body and tired itself out.  By sheer luck (and the power of 'Rush Recklessly'), all of it hit Weevil.  Weevil was left in a state of pure terror.

            "That's right, Von!  Show that little weasel who's boss around here!" Joey shouted from the sidelines.

            "No… this can't be!" Weevil said to himself.  "Nearly half of my Life Points… lost in the second turn of a duel???  This isn't right!  I am the champion!  I will win!  I'll play 'Premature Burial' to bring back the monster you just sacrificed, Killer Needle!  I'll set one more monster and end my turn!"

            "_I will now summon the Whiptail Crow and equip Summoned Skull with my magic card, Axe of Despair, raising his attack to 3500.  Summoned Skull, attack the Killer Needle with Lightning Slice."_

            Summoned Skull charged the cursed blade with dark electricity and chopped the Killer Needle to ribbons.  Weevil's Life Points sunk to 1700.

            "_Whiptail Crow, use your Whiptail Whip on Weevil's face-down monster."_

            "Hyo hyo hyo!  That monster is the Man-Eater Bug!  Even though it is destroyed, its flip effect allows me to automatically destroy any one monster on the field, and guess which monster that is!"

            Von Stupor remained silent.

            "Guess which monster I will destroy!"

            Von Stupor remained silent.

            Weevil looked around him, confused and said, "…That's right!  I shall destroy your summoned skull!"

            The Man-Eater Bug shot its claw up and hit Summoned Skull between the legs.  Summoned Skull grunted in agony and fell over.  The Whiptail Crow had by now bludgeoned the Man-Eater Bug to the ground.  Summoned Skull and Man-Eater Bug were both destroyed and Von Stupor ended his turn.

            "Give it up!" Weevil commanded.  "Now that your Summoned Skull has fallen, there is no way conceivable that you can defeat me!"

            "_You are a fool to think that," Von Stupor retorted.  "__Whosoever had the ignorance to birth you should have been dragged by her hair into the street and stoned to death."_

            The crowd gasped in shock.

            "You… you fiend!" Weevil yelled to Von Stupor, his eyes widening.  "How could talk to me like that?!"

            "_I speak only truth."_

            A small tear formed on Weevil's cheek.  As it trickled to his chin he ended his turn.

            "That can't be Von Stupor…" Joey observed.  "Von Stupor don't say things that low.  Weevil may be a jerk, but he didn't deserve somethin' like that."

            "_I shall equip to my Whiptail Crow another 'Axe of Despair', raising his overall attack to 2650.  I shall also summon Zombyra the Dark and attack your face-down card with Zombie Fist attack."_

            Zombyra attacked the card and another Man-Eater Bug popped out and evaded the attack.  It shot behind the Whiptail and quickly slit its throat.  Zombyra finally caught the bug and squeezed its head until it burst.

            "_Hm__.__  Your turn," Von Stupor announced._

            "You are the meanest duelist I have ever met!  My beautiful insects and I shall defeat you in this sub-tournament even if it is the last thing we ever do!"

            "_Your comment about me comes from one who tried to throw this very deck into the water in order to destroy it, earning you a bye once I were disqualified."_

            The crowd gasped at Weevil once more, this time glaring.

            Weevil looked around quickly, his face a bright red.

            "Uh… heh heh…  Um, I can explain that, I um…" he stuttered.

            The crowd began booing Weevil.  One angry duelist threw his drink at him.  It splattered all over Weevil's hair and clothes.  He looked up at Baron von Stupor with a look of hate.

            "I know you are smiling under that mask," he said, angrily.

            "_Indeed I am.  Seeing the mighty Weevil Underwood suffer such a downfall greatly amuses me.  What amuses me even more is that you have dug a hole so deep, you can no longer climb out of it.  In order for you to even save face and prove me wrong, you would have to damage my Life Points before you forfeit.  There in nothing you can do, Weevil, except accept your upcoming fate.  You are as good as finished."_

            "That will never happen!  I'll play 'Swords of Revealing Light'!  Now you cannot attack for three whole turns, while I may strengthen my defense!  How is that?"

            "_Futile.  Your destruction is imminent."_

            "Grrr…  I'll set this monster and end my turn!"

            "_I draw and end my turn.  Two turns remain."_

            "I draw and set this monster!  Your turn!"

            "_I shall set one monster and shift Zombyra the Dark into defense mode.  That ends my turn.  One more turn remains."_

            "I summon Kumootoko and flip summon Dorover and Acid Crawler!  First, I'll use my Dorover to attack Zombyra the Dark!"

            A blue puddle of liquid appeared before Zombyra.  Zombyra looke at it incredulously as it grew many spheres that closely resembled eyes.  Then, in a surprise attack, it lunged at Zombyra's head, clamping its mouth over it.  It appeared to be an acidic liquid, because once once the Dorover was thrown off, Zombyra's head had melted down to his shoulders.

            "Next, I'll use the Acid Crawler to attack your face-down card!"

            The face-down card, Sangan, stood no chance.

            "_I shall now retrieve a monster from my deck with an attack of 1500 or less because of Sangan's effect," Von Stupor announced._

            "Finally, this whole time you have said that I wouldn't damage your Life Points during this entire match, but here you are with _nothing_ to defend yourself with!  Hyo hyo hyo!  Kumootoko, _attack him directly!!!"_

            "_I shall discard Kuriboh to reduce that damage to zero."_

            The Kumootoko's dive missed Von Stupor completely.

            "Grrrrrr… your turn!"

            "_I stay by my word that you will not damage my Life Points.  I set one Magic or Trap card and end my turn."_

            "Hyo hyo hyo…  I doubt you have four more Kuribohs in your hand…  In fact, you shoudn't even have more than two!  I shall summon the Flying Kamakiri #1!  Now attack, my insects!"

            "_You are correct in that I do not have any more Kuribohs in my hand.  However, I do have a 'Negate Attack' that I choose to activate.  Your __Battle__ Phase is now over."_

            Weevil kicked the dirt in anger.

            Von Stupor continued.  "_I now play 'Dark Hole' and destroy all monsters on the field, and if I'm not mistaken, all monsters on the field are your monsters, so I am not disadvantaged.  Next, I shall summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp and equip him with a third Axe of Despair and attack you directly."_

            La Jinn shot a magical blast from the axe and Weevil's remaining Life Points were eliminated.

            "_Your Life Points have diminished while mine are left untouched.  This duel is mine," Von Stupor stated._

            The crowd went into an uproar.  Cheers came from everywhere, praising Von Stupor.  Weevil was left in shock.

            Angrily, he said, "That's just fine, but you still have to beat me a second time if you expect to live up to your word!"

            "_I will be waiting to defeat you again after the intermission."_

            "Hmph!"

            Weevil stomped away.

            He and Von Stupor were given ten minutes to adjust their deck.  Joey called Von Stupor over to him.

            "_Don't you have a match you should be in?" Von Stupor asked him._

            "My match ain't 'till later," Joey said, "but that's not the point!  What the heck is your problem?  I mean, sure your deck almost took a dunk, but you're acting like he tried to murder you!  You're not the Von Stupor I know."

            "_Of course I'm not, Joey.  Von Stupor called upon the power of this mask.  He is a mere vessel right now.  I am Majora, ancient sorcerer of old, now if you'll excuse me, I have a match to win."_


	6. The Continued Wrath of the Masked Duelis...

**I have bad news about the story.  You see, I have just recently discovered that there is a Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament being held in my area on January 10, 2004.  SSBM is my absolute favorite game, therefore I would naturally want to enter.  Not only that, but the grand prize winner gets 60% of the pot.  Currently, there are 51 people entered in addition to myself, bringing the grand prize to a total of $459.  I have begun training rigorously and feverishly to prepare for this tourney because though I am unmatched in my neck of the neighborhood, there is one who has been able to best me in battle.  Are skills are even, and I wish to defeat him at this tourney.  That's why I have decided to discontinue the story temporarily until ****January 11, 2004****, the day after the tourney.  I will continue to write the story (just not type it) when I have spare time that cannot be used for training, though, so once the story is continued, the chapters will come faster than they have been.  Anyway, that's my announcement.  Enjoy the next chapter!**

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"The Continued Wrath of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

            "Wait a minute, what???  You're Majora???" Joey asked, aghast.

            "_Yes. Just as Yami is with the Millennium Puzzle, I am the spirit of my mask," explained Majora.  "_That is why they call it 'Majora's Mask', after all._"_

            "But… you can't be!  You're from a video game!"

            "_Many movies and games are based off of historic things and events.  The entire Evil Dead_ series revolved around an ancient Sumerian text known as _Necronomicon_, or "Book of the Dead".  The video game called _Boktai: The Sun is in your Hand_ is based upon the myth of vampires.  _The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask_ was based upon the myth of me, though my myth is very much lesser known than most others._"_

            "Yeah, okay then, but if Von here wears your mask, how come you ain't goin' berserk and tryin' to destroy the earth or somethin' like that?"

            "_Baron Von Stupor and I have a complicated relationship.  …Call it a bargain if you will.  Anyhow, intermission is over.  I have a duel to win now.  Farewell."_

            Von Stupor—now revealed as Majora—strolled over to the playing field.  Weevil was waiting.

            "You won't get the best of me again, you fool!  My restructured insect deck will crush you in a heartbeat!" he bragged.

            "_Show me your best, weakling.  Maybe you will at least damage my Life Points this time.  That is, unless you truly are unskilled," Majora retorted._

            "Hmph!  You go first this time!"

            "_You will need as many cards as you can muster if you expect to defeat me."_

            "My starting hand is perfect!  You will be insect food before I'm done with you!  Hyo hyo hyo!"

            "_You are a fool.  I shall set one monster and two M/T cards.  That shall end my turn."_

            "What???  What are M/T cards?"

            "_You are a fool and are also uneducated in modern day dueling lingo.  M/T is short for Magic or Trap."_

            "Grrr… I'll set one monster, too!  Your turn."

            "_I sacrifice my face-down monster Sangan to summon Summoned Skull.  I shall now retrieve a monster with an attack of 1500 or less from my deck due to Sangan's effect.  Summoned Skull, attack the face-down monster with Lightning Strike."_

            The set monster turned out to be Needle Worm, which was easily destroyed.

            "_The Needle Worm causes me to discard the top five cards on my deck to my graveyard.  This is nothing more than a minor disadvantage."_

            "There will be many more to come as well!  Hyo hyo hyo hyo hyo!"

            "_Your boast was poorly constructed.  If you must insult me, please do it correctly or refrain from even making a sound and spare everyone else the agony."_

            The crowd laughed.

            "Why you… I will not lose this match!!!"

            "_You repeatedly make that statement and yet you show no proof.  Do you ever live up to your word?"_

            Weevil's eye began twitching.  In a bloody rage, he jumped up and down, stomping his feet.  When he was done, he pointed at Von Stupor, screaming.

            "_I hate you!!!  I hate you so much!!!  I simply can't wait to defeat you!!!  Even if I have to lose, I will damage your Life points at least once!!!  Just once!!!  I set one monster and end my turn!!!"_

            Weevil finally calmed down, but still breathing heavily.  Majora drew another card.

            "_I shall set one M/T card and summon the Witch of the _Black Forest___.  Attack that set monster with Meghid."_

            Weevil's Mechanical Spider was flipped face-up and destroyed.  Majora then attacked Weevil directly with Summoned Skull reducing his Life Points to 5500.

            "Hyo hyo hyo!  I'm going to take a hit for this, but it will be well worth it!  I shall now damage your Life Points by summoning the Flying Kamakiri #1 and attacking your witch with Wing Beat!"

            The Kamakiri clutched the witch in either hand and held her close to its shoulder.  It then rapidly flapped its wings, pummeling her head up and down until her neck broke.

            "_Foolish boy.  Not only do I retrieve a monster with a defense of 1500 or less from my deck due to Witch of the _Black Forest__'s attack, I shall also discard Kuriboh once more to reduce that Direct Damage to 0.  Once again, I am unharmed._"_

            "Grrr… curse that Kuriboh!"

            "_I shall first activate 'De-Spell' on your face-down M/T card."_

            "It is a 'Torrential Tribute, and since it's not a Magic card, it's not destroyed!"

            "_Very well.  At least I know what it is.  I shall first equip Summoned Skull with 'Sword of Dark Destruction', raising its attack to 2900, then I shall attack the Flying Kamakiri #1 with Lightning Slice."_

            Summoned Skull raised the Sword of Dark Destruction into the air and lightning struck it.  It glowed with energy and Summoned Skull shot a dark energy bolt at the Kamakiri, exploding it upon impact.  Weevil's Life points sunk to 410.

            "I'll set this monster and end my turn!" he said, chuckling quietly to himself.

            "_I shall draw and end my turn."_

            "I'll set a second monster and end my turn.  You know, you may want to attack me before I have the chance to summon a strong monster!  Why don't you summon another monster?  Hyo hyo hyo…"

            "_I'll end my turn.  I have a strategy going.  Besides, I know exactly what 'Torrential Tribute' does.  As soon as I summon a monster, you can activate it, destroying all monsters on the field.  I am merely biding my time for now."_

            "I set a third monster!  Your turn."

            "_I draw and end my turn."_

            "I set a fourth monster and end my turn!"

            "_The card I drew just now is just the one I needed.  I shall play 'Mystical Space Typhoon', which destroys one M/T card on the field, and I choose your face-down 'Torrential Tribute'.  It is now destroyed and cannot be used."_

            Weevil still had a slick grin on his face.

            "_Next," continued Majora.  "_I shall play 'Swords of Revealing Light'.  Not only does it prevent you from attacking for three whole turns, it also has the ability to flip all of my opponent's face-down monster cards into face-up defense position.  Go, Weevil.  Reveal your monsters to me._"_

            "Fine, then!  Hyo hyo hyo!  I have two Steel Scorpions, a Sinister Serpent, and a Man-Eater Bug!  However, by flipping him, you activated his effect which allows me to destroy any single monster on the field!  Say good-bye to Summoned Skull!"

            "_You still truly believe you can defeat me, boy?"_

            "I certainly do!  In my next turn, I shall bring out a monster of which the likes you have never seen!"

            "_Hm.  I shall summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp and attack your Man-Eater Bug with Genie Wallop attack.  It is now destroyed."_

            "I now sacrifice my two Steel Scorpions to set this monster!  Attack it if you dare!"

            "_I shall play 'Mystic Plasma Zone' and increase the attack of all DARK-type monsters by 500 and attack your Sinister Serpent with La Jinn instead."_

            The genie simply pounded the serpent's head and it was vanquished.

            "I'll draw and return the Sinister Serpent back to my hand!  His effect states that if he is in my Graveyard during my Standby phase, he automatically returns to my hand!  Next, I play 'Change of Heart' on La Jinn!"

            La Jinn turned and shot a piercing glare at Majora.

            "I shall counter with 'Magic Jammer'."

            La Jinn shook out of the spell and smiled sweetly at Majora prior to turning back around to face Weevil.

            "_Now I shall humiliate you that much more, Weevil.  To pay the price for activating 'Magic Jammer', I shall discard Relinquished from my hand.  I do not need him to defeat as lowly a duelist as you."_

            "You have just made a grave mistake, my friend!  I have been waiting for this very moment!  I knew my strongest monster couldn't stand up to Relinquished's effect, but now that it is gone… I can flip summon the _Insect Queen!!!"_

            "_…And I can destroy it by activating 'Trap Hole'.  Too bad."_

            Weevil's jaw dropped.  Everyone could easily tell he wanted to curse to the high heavens.

            "The moment I… that I had been waiting for… all ruined… with… just one trap…" he murmured to himself.

            "_I shall attack your face-down card," Majora said, uncaringly continuing the duel._

            The face-down card was Kuwagata A, and was quickly destroyed.

            As Weevil drew, his eyes lit up.

            "I have received a second chance, I must seize it now!  I will play 'Monster Reborn' to bring back my Insect Queen!"

            A hole opened in the ground and the Insect Queen crawled out of it.

            "_…And I will play a second 'Magic Jammer' and negate that card, destroying it.  Most unfortunate for your Insect Queen."_

            The Insect Queen then crawled back into the hole it came from and the hole closed back up.

            "_Noooooo!" Weevil shouted in irritation.  "Why can't I hit you???  Why???"_

            "_Finish your move, fool."_

            "I'll set this monster and end my turn," Weevil said, huffing.

            "_Since I no longer need 'Black illusion Ritual', I shall discard it to pay for the activation of 'Magic Jammer'.  Next, I shall summon another La Jinn and attack your set monster."_

            A Killer Needle jumped from the card and shot a stinger up at La Jinn.  La Jinn quickly slapped the stinger aside and punched the Killer Needle down.  It was instantly destroyed.

            Weevil was sweating profusely, his eyes widened.  Silently, he set a monster and ended his turn.

            "_I use La Jinn to attack your face-down card."_

            The face-down monster Sinister Serpent crumpled after one blow from La Jinn.

            "_I'll next use my second La Jinn to attack your Life Points directly."_

            La Jinn struck Weevil's Life Points down to 1800.

            "Si… Sinister Serpent… goes back to my hand…" Weevil stuttered.  "My…  My unbeatable army…"

            He set a monster and ended his turn.

            "_You poor fool.  This is only the beginning of my wrath.  One La Jinn shall attack the Sinister Serpent you just set.  After that, my other La Jinn shall finish you off in just the way we talked about."_

            La Jinn nodded and slowly floated over to an awestruck Weevil.  Upon reaching he slowly extended his arm to Weevil and gave him a hard flick on the nose, sending his Life Points to 0.

            The crowd roared for Majora.  Majora then received Weevil's locater piece and rarest card, 'Mirror Force'.

            For Weevil, however, all sound slowly faded away, and everything around him became pitch dark.  All he could see was Majora.

            "Wh… What's going on?!" he stammered.

            "_You are now in the shadow realm. Or perhaps, your mind is in the shadow realm." Majora replied.  "_Lovely, isn't it?  So quiet…  So tranquil…  So dark…  So desolate…  I am quite familiar with this place.  This is where I would visit the souls of those whom I banished.  You see, even though I am from another land, I am very aware of the shadow games that took place in ancient ___Egypt__.  I myself participated in them."_

            "I don't understand…"

            "_Ah, that's right.  You are uneducated in those matters.  When you get a chance, you must brush up on your history.  Don't worry about it now though, for it does not matter.  It's time for me to finish this."_

            "Wh… wh… what?!  What are you going to do to me?!"

            "_I can smell the fear coming from you right now.  I can feel it seeping out of your pores and blowing over me.  It feels so wonderful.  It has been a long time since I have felt a fear like this.  I am glad that there are people like you at your age.  Kids your age are so much tastier to instill fear unto without Baron Von Stupor getting too angry."_

            Weevil was clearly confused and very frightened.  His eyes were beginning to well up and his face was a ghostly pale.  He was very silent, gaping at Majora in pure terror.

            "_To everyone else right now, we are standing at the dock.  Time is frozen in our minds at the instant that I defeated you.  When we return, it will be as if nothing had ever happened."_

            Majora pointed his finger at Weevil and a beam of light shot into him.  Weevil was suddenly very still.

            "I… I can't move!  Why can't I move???" Weevil asked, panicked.

            Majora snapped his fingers and a roaring ocean appeared below them.  They remained hovering above it.  Some cards then appeared in Majora's hands.  He began looking through them.

            "_'Killer Needle'…  'Monster Reborn'…  'Sinister Serpent'…" he read.  "_'Swords of Revealing Light'…  'Kuwagata A'…  'Insect Queen'…  Why, this is your deck, correct?_"_

            Weevil shakily nodded his head.

            "_Being made of a paper-like substance, Duel Monsters cards can be quickly and quite easily destroyed when introduced to water.  I did not know of anyone who would sink so low as to purposely do such a thing to beat an opponent until I met you.    I have heard of what you did to poor Yugi Muto's legendary Exodia cards, and I have seen what you nearly did to Baron Von Stupor's cards.  In fact, it is thanks to me that those cards were safely recovered without a single one touching the water.  This is a very unhealthy habit and should be dealt with accordingly, as soon as possible."_

            "What way… is that?"

            Without saying a word, Majora let go of Weevil's deck and it fell into the thundering torrent below.  Weevil screamed bloody murder as the cards washed away.  His face grew bright red and tears streamed down his cheeks.

            After a minute or two, the ocean cleared away, and Weevil found himself standing back in Battle City with Majora, the fans cheering.

            "Your little light show didn't teach me a thing!"  he shouted, sniffling.  "You haven't seen the last of Weevil Underwood and his mighty insect army!"

            "_I wouldn't be so sure of that," Majora replied calmly.  "__Look at your deck."_

            Confused, Weevil pulled out his deck to find every card wrinkled nearly beyond recognition and almost fully bleached.  Stains decorated the fronts and back due to water damage.  Weevil's head snapped back up to face Majora, gaping.

            "_Do not invoke my wrath again, Weevil Underwood.  It may be your very mind that suffers next," Majora threatened._

            Crying once again, Weevil turned tail and ran.

            Majora let out a haunting laugh.  It slowly faded, and once it did, Von Stupor's body collapsed.


	7. A Gift for the Masked Duelist

"A Gift for the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

            Von Stupor awoke in Joey's arms.  He was currently being carried.

            "What is occurring, green jacketed one?" Von Stupor asked.

            Joey looked down, surprised.  Von Stupor waved at him and was put down.

            "You all right, man?" he asked.  "You zonked out just a second ago!"

            "Oh, yes…  That happens every now and again," replied Von Stupor.

            "You mean when Majora is out…"

            "Um, indeed.  How did you know of Majora?"

            "You might as well say he formally introduced himself during your sub-tournament match with Weevil Underwood.  After the duel, Majora and Weevil froze for a moment, and the next thing I knew, Weevil was running away, crying!"

            "Ah, Majora did something to him in the shadow realm.  It's a bit complicated, but if one is in the shadow realm in the way Majora had Weevil, it is as if time freezes until one exits.  It's… actually hard to explain."

            "Uh, right.  Hey, I got something to say about Majora.  I remember him from Zelda, and he's a villain.  Are you sure you wanna trust him?  You never know, he may have his own intentions or something."

            "It… is alright.  I have Majora under control."

            "Does it have anything to do with the bargain he told me about?"

            "Eh, yes.  It is actually not something I am proud of, but it is really the only way.  You see—"

            Just then, Nina came to Von Stupor.

            "There you are!" she said.  "After you collapsed, the crowd rushed over to you and I couldn't get through.  Are you okay?"

            "Yes, I am fine," Von Stupor answered.  "By the way, I would like you to meet my friend Joey Wheeler.  Joey, this is a duelist I met quite recently."

            "Yeah, this is Mai Valentine, I know her!" he said.

            "Not quite!  More like an adoring fan.  My name's Nina!" she said proudly.  "By the way, Von Stupor, you never told me you knew Joey Wheeler!  It's an honor to meet you in person!"

            Joey nodded slowly, looking a tad worried.  He turned to Von Stupor.

            "Well, a friend of yours is a friend of mine.  Anyways, I'm qualified for the finals, so I'm gonna meet Yugi and them at the card shop.  You coming?" he asked.

            "I must attain one more locater card," Von Stupor replied.

            "Okay, we all agreed to meet each other at the card shop once we're qualified for the finals.  I have everyone wait up for you."

            "I thank you profusely."

            "Excuse me," Nina said to Joey, sounding hesitant.  "I was going to go to the finals with Von stupor to meet Mai, so… would you mind if I came along with you?"

            "No, not at all!  Mai might even be there already!"

            Nina waved good-bye and followed Joey away.

            Von Stupor combed Battle City over and over and found no other duelists.  He tried many techniques to find them such as staying in one spot, going to popular hangouts, and even hanging out in dark alleys.  Apparently, every duelist had been run out.

            _How am I to qualify for the finals if there is no one left to duel? He thought to himself._

            Around sunset, he saw an ad for a local art museum.  It mentioned a new ancient Egyptian art exhibit.  Von Stupor figured that he would take his mind off of dueling for a short while and view it.

            He took a bus and reached the art museum in a few minutes.  It was very large, with two floors.  In the corner of the first floor laid the ancient Egyptian exhibit.  Von Stupor found it rather eerie that no one was inside the museum.

            He looked at the exhibit and was surprised to find a large stone tablet depicting an image of two people, one of which looked just like Yugi.  Behind the person stood the Dark Magician.

            _Coincidence or something more? he thought to himself._

            He pondered this for a moment when his thought was interrupted by a woman's voice.

            "The museum is closed," it said.

            Von Stupor jumped and wheeled around to see a young woman.  For some reason, her piercing stare seemed to burn straight through his mask.

            "I apologize," said Von Stupor.  "I shall leave now."

            "That will not be necessary.  I have been waiting for you.  I have overheard many duelists talking about you, Von Stupor.  You must have great skill."

            "I am not one to judge my own skill.  Do I know you?"

            "No.  I am Ishizu Ishtar.  Like I said, I have heard many duelists talk about you.  Your mask and coat are your trademark accessories."

            "Cope."

            "Cope?"

            "It is a cape too, which makes it my cope."

            She narrowed her eyebrows and turned to the tablet.

            "It is no coincidence that the man in this image looks like Yugi.  It is because Yugi has ancestors that trace back to ancient Egypt.  Seto Kaiba bears the same heritage.  You do too, Von Stupor."

            "What?  I hail from America, how can that be?"

            "Yugi hails from Japan, which equally makes no sense, but I assure you, it is true.  Allow me to tell you a story.  Long ago, during the days of the shadow games, there was an evil sorcerer who battled against the pharaoh of Egypt.  Those are the two men in this image.  There was also one who stood against the sorcerer, alongside the pharaoh.  Though he was the village fool, he was very strategic in his antics.  He decided to utilize these strategic qualities and engaged in a duel against the sorcerer.  The pharaoh tried to stop the fool, but once a shadow game has begun, it must be ended.  Despite the fool's best efforts, the sorcerer overwhelmed him and defeated him with his trademark monster, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.  However, before the sorcerer could finish his incantation to banish the fool to the shadow realm, the fool threw a rock and hit the sorcerer, stunning him momentarily.  The fool seized his opportunity and ran.  He was never seen again.  No one knows for sure what happened to him.  Some say he hid in Egypt, some say he ran to America.  Nonetheless, you are that fool's descendant.  Do you understand?"

            "Actually, you lost me after the word 'story'.  What did you say again?"

            Ishizu narrowed her eyebrows further, and explained again.

            "Ah, I see," Von Stupor stated.  "How do you know for sure that I am the fool's descendant?"

            Ishizu chuckled, but quickly recovered.

            "Er, my Millennium Necklace allows me to look into the past," she answered.

            "Why don't you know what happened to the fool then?"

            "It only shows me what I am supposed to see, and nothing more."

            "So it wouldn't show you where I left my Wavebird wireless GameCube controller?"

            "No."

            "So your necklace… can it get in a bad mood and not show you anything?"

            "My necklace doesn't have a mood."

            "Then it's not alive?"

            "No."

            "Then how can it show you something if it's not alive?"

            "_Enough of this.  You have heard of the ancient Egyptian god cards, correct?"_

            "Yes, three legendary beings of immense and supposedly unmatched power."

            "I am willing to entrust you with one of them if that is what it takes to stop my brother and his legion of rare hunters."

            "Marik's last name is Ishtar?"

            "Yes."

            "Your brother makes stinky cloaks."

            This caught Ishizu off guard.

            "…What???" she asked, confused.

            "Never mind.  I thank you for your offer, but I do not need a god card to defeat Marik."

            "You do not need to use it.  If you can prove your worth, I will give it to you to guard, so that it may not fall into evil hands."

            "I must prove my worth for something of no use to me?  There is no sense in that."

            "Not quite.  You see, I am the last remaining duelist in Battle City.  I entered it to ensure that afterwards, the god cards would be returned to me, so that I may hide them, this time never to be uncovered again.  Unfortunately, I was overpowered by the duelists of today, and am left with one locater card.  Wager all of your locater cards to me, and if you win, you shall receive Obelisk the Tormentor to keep safe, as well as become qualified for the finals.  If you lose, you will be eliminated, but I will progress to the finals to ensure the god cards' safe return."

            "You would trust me to return your god cards?"

            "Yes, because though your sanity may be in question, I know your heart is in the right place."

            "It seems I have no choice then.  I must defeat you to progress to the finals."

            "Not exactly.  My Millennium Necklace will not tell me who the god card will choose to guard it; therefore I must determine this myself.  I have narrowed—"

            "Your eyebrows?"

            "_No.  I have narrowed the chosen down to two duelists: you and your opponent."  She turned towards the shadows and said, "You may step forward now."_

            Out from the shadows stepped Seto Kaiba.

            "I can't believe you're pitting me against a duelist who looks like a circus clown," he said.  "It makes me question how straight your bearings are.  First you give me a boring history lecture, then you try to tell me that destiny comes before skill, and now you want me to duel this dog for the right to own a god card?  It pains me to think that someone of _his_ level would actually have a shot at beating me."

            "I have certainly heard of you, Seto Kaiba, and I assure you, I will not go down easily," Von Stupor cut in.

            "Don't make me laugh…  Not only will I destroy you and get the god card, I will prevent you from ever reaching the finals.  My tournament doesn't have room for a third-rate duelist like you."

            "Your many insults will get you nowhere, for it is our duel that will determine who is the better!"

            Kaiba turned to Ishizu and asked, "Besides, if I am truly destined to have this card, why aren't you simply giving it to me instead of making me duel this pathetic excuse for a duelist?"

            "The god card will choose who is truly destined to own it," she replied.  "I never said that you were the destined one to own this card, I simply said you might.  Baron von Stupor also has ties to Egypt; therefore I must administer a test to see who the rightful owner is.  The god card shall choose the stronger duelist as its owner."

            "Then hear this, Baron Von Stupor.  The god card will choose me!"

            Von Stupor, Kaiba, and Ishizu all stepped outside the museum and prepared to duel.

            "Prepare to fall before my Blue-Eyes White Dragons, dog!" Kaiba taunted.

            "Prepare for dinner!  You will be eating it in a few hours!" Von Stupor retorted.

            Each duelist drew their hand and began the duel.

            "I'll go first," said Kaiba.  "I'll set one monster and end my turn."

            "I'll draw and set four M/T cards," Von Stupor announced.  "That ends my turn."

            "I'll summon the Goblin Attack Force, the strongest four star monster in the game!  Next, I'll flip summon the Vorse Raider and attack you directly with both!"

            The Vorse Raider slashed through Von Stupor's midsection and shortly after, a group of goblins rushed him.  The assault left von Stupor with 3700 Life Points remaining.

            "I don't even know why I'm wasting my time with you.  You've already lost more than half of your Life Points, so you might as well say this duel is mine," Kaiba taunted once more.

            "Hmph!  As long as I have Life Points, I have not lost!"

            Just then, someone opened their window and yelled out, "Hey!  Some people like silence in the evening!  You mind providing some?"

            "You can just mind your business, you little punk.  I'm trying to win this duel without having to put up with distractions like you," Kaiba called back.

            Gasping, the boy said, "Seto Kaiba?!  Wow!"

            He tucked his head in the window, and before long, there were all kinds of people coming outside to watch the duel between Seto Kaiba and the newly renowned Baron Von Stupor.

            "If I'm not mistaken," Von Stupor said, continuing the duel.  "once you attack me with Goblin Attack Force, it goes into defense position and cannot move for the entirety of your next turn!"

            "So what if you know a little bit about the cards?  That doesn't make you any better of a duelist.  Now make your move, I don't want to waste any more time than I have to."

            "Your mouth will be your downfall.  I'll set one M/T card and play 'Fissure', destroying the monster with the lowest attack on your side of the field, the Vorse Raider!"

            "That won't do a thing except delay me further.  I'll replace my lost Vorse raider by summoning a second!  Next, I'll attack your Life points directly!  Go; use Arts of the Raider attack!"

            The new Vorse Raider leapt over to Von Stupor and butted him in the head with the handle of his sword.  Von Stupor's Life Points dropped down to 1800.

            "It's hard to believe Ishizu confused you for skilled duelist.  That card is as good as mine, just admit it," Kaiba said coldly.  "I set one M/T and end my turn."

            Von Stupor chuckled.

            "That's where you're wrong," he said.  "Once my life points are below half, my chances of comeback are high.  It seems that the lower my Life Points become, the harder my opponent must try to defeat me.  I shall summon Senju of the Thousand Hands to attack your Goblin Attack Force while I fetch a ritual monster card from my deck!"

            Senju dashed to the Goblin Attack Force.  Seeing Senju coming, the goblins became aggressive.  They charged Senju, with each one of them being slapped down by one of Senju's many hands.  It wasn't long before they were destroyed.

            "You may have destroyed my Goblin Attack Force, but that doesn't make your monster any less pathetic.  First, I'll play 'Harpie's Feather Duster'."

            _No! Von Stupor thought.  _I have to activate 'Magic Jammer' to save my traps, but I'll have to discard Relinquished…__

            "I'll activate 'Magic Jammer' and… discard 'Relinquished'…" Von Stupor said, irritated.

            "So you've sacrificed your own trademark monster to save your Magic and Trap cards.  It's a shame you can't reborn it since it wasn't summoned properly.  Now, Vorse Raider!  Attack his Senju of the Thousand Hands!"

            Vorse raider ran towards Senju but was blown back by an unseen force.

            "I activate 'Negate Attack'!"

            "You're only delaying the inevitable.  Since my attack was negated and my Battle Phase ended, I have nothing else to do this turn."

            "Like I said, my chances of comeback are high, and those chances are not letting me down!  I shall sacrifice Senju to summon my Summoned Skull!"

            "Hmph!  It's still no match for one of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons."

            "It will be once I equip it with 'Axe of Despair', which raises its attack to 3500!"

            Kaiba's eyes widened.

            "Go, my Summoned Skull!" Von Stupor ordered.  "Attack the Vorse raider with Lightning Despair!"

            The Summoned Skull charged the axe with electricity and dismembered the Vorse Raider's head and left arm with a backhand chop.

            Kaiba's eye twitched with nervousness, but he played it off.

            "I'll set this monster and end my turn.  By the way, I don't care how strong your monster is, it will fall one way or another," he said.

            "Summoned Skull, attack the set monster!"

            "You just destroyed my Magician of Faith!  Her effect allows me to return one Magic Card from my Graveyard to my hand when flipped!" Kaiba boasted.  "Now I'll finally destroy your pathetic traps by playing my returned 'Harpie's Feather Duster'!"

            "I shall counter with a second 'Magic Jammer', this time discarding 'De-Spell'!"

            Kaiba clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.  He set a monster and ended his turn.

            "Like a great mind once said, 'Overconfidence is the greatest enemy!'  I shall play 'Pot of Greed' and draw two cards.  Next, I shall play 'Monster Reborn' to bring back one of your destroyed Vorse Raiders!  Go, my monsters and attack his two remaining set monsters!"

            Kaiba's third Vorse raider and Gemini Elf were both destroyed.

            He drew a card and let out a devilish grin.

            "The card I just drew will ensure my victory!  I'll give you credit, Von Stupor; you were right about turning the duel around.  However, you should have known that in the long run, I would emerge victorious."

            "How would you prove this, he who decorates himself in belt straps?"

            "I'll prove it by summoning Cyber-Stein!  Normally, I wouldn't do such a reckless act, but you've gained too strong of an advantage, therefore I'll activate Cyber-Stein's effect!  By sacrificing 5000 Life points, I may summon one monster from my Fusion Deck!"

            Kaiba's Life Points dropped to 1400 and a Blue-Eyes Ultimate dragon stepped out of a portal.

            "Now I'll first use Cyber-Stein to attack your face-down card!" he announced.  "Cyber-Stein, Cyber-Stomp!"

            The card was revealed to be a Man-Eater Bug.

            "_Ha!!!" shouted Von Stupor.  "Your Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon is now gone as fast as it came!"_

            "This can't be!!!" Kaiba spouted in disbelief.

            The Man-Eater Bug hopped into the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's throat and crawled down its throat.  After a minute, the dragon began howling uncontrollably.  Soon, the Man-Eater Bug burst from its belly and its insides fell out.  The Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon collapsed, destroyed.

            Kaiba stood, awestruck.

            "I shall set one M/T and use Summoned Skull to attack Cyber-Stein!  Behold, for you are defeated!" Von Stupor declared.

            "Hardly!  I activate 'Negate Attack'!" Kaiba snapped back.

            "Excellent move, Kaiba.  Your turn begins now."

            "I'll start by playing a 'Pot of Greed', which allows me to draw two cards.  Next, I'll play 'Raigeki', which destroys all monsters on your side of the field!  I'll also play 'Monster Reborn' and bring back my Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!  Go; attack his Life points directly with Neutron Blast!"

            Von Stupor chuckled as the beam disappeared in front of him.  Kaiba looked to see an odd object in front of Von Stupor.

            "What is that thing?" Kaiba asked, confused.

            "Ha, ha…  _Ha ha ha ha ha!!!_  That is none other than the 'Magical Cylinder'!!!"

            "_No!!!" Kaiba shouted, looking beside him._

            There floated a glowing cylindrical tube.  All of a sudden, the neutron Blast fired out of it, hitting Kaiba.  His Life Points fell to 0.

            The crowd fell into an awkward silence.  Von Stupor and Kaiba stared at each other, Kaiba gaping, Von Stupor with his arms crossed.

            Kaiba snorted and stuck his nose up.

            "Fine, then.  Take the god card.  It will only be that much more humiliating when you're defeated in the finals.  Either way, the god card will be in my hands at the end of the tournament.  Enjoy it while you can."

            With that said, Kaiba calmly walked away.

            Von Stupor followed Ishizu back into the museum.  As they did, the crowd murmured to one another.

            "Did Kaiba really lose?"

            "Who was that man?"

            "That couldn't have been Kaiba!"

            "I knew Von Stupor would win!"

            "I just lost 3,729 yen…"

            Inside the art museum, Ishizu spoke to Baron Von Stupor.

            "Here is 'Obelisk the Tormentor'," she said, giving him the god card and locater piece.  "Do not let it fall into the wrong hands.  I trust that once this danger is vanquished you will return it to me?"

            "Very well, then.  I shall return Obelisk when the time is right."

            "Thank you.  Good luck in defeating my brother."


	8. A Moment with the Masked Duelist

"A Moment with the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

It was nightfall before Von Stupor made it back to the Kamé Game Store.  As he walked in, he was heartily greeted by everyone.

"Where were you, Von Stupor?  We were getting worried," Yugi told him.

            "There was slight difficulty in finding one who was still in the tournament.  However, I am now qualified for the finals!" he replied.

            "That's awesome!  So now it's you, me, Yugi, and Mai!  There's a fifty-fifty chance of one of us winning!" Joey observed.

            "I saw on a bulletin board that the seven other finalists have been chosen, too.  That means the finals will start tomorrow morning," Téa informed everyone.

            "If that's the case, I shouldn't stay up much longer.  I'm hitting the sack," Tristan announced.  "Good-night, everyone."

            "See you tomorrow, Tristan!" Yugi called to him as he walked out the door.

            "Say Yugi, you wouldn't mind if I stuck around here tonight, would you?  We can work on some last-minute strategies, you know?" Joey asked.

            "It's fine with me," Trusdale answered for Yugi.  "Just be sure to notify your parents."

            "Will do, Mr. Mutou!"

            Von Stupor sighed, and said, "With that said and done, I shall return to my abode."

            Von Stupor said his good-byes and left.  The streets were dark, and not many people were out and about.  It was very quiet due to the absence of cars going by.

            _This must be a street of much popular is,_ he thought to himself.  _Potatoes._  I… I wish I could enjoy some potatoes right now.  I haven't had any since I arrived.  Oh, how delicious they are when mashed.  …With lumps!  Mashed potatoes must be lumpy to be at their peak of tasting good!__

            Von Stupor wandered down the street thinking this when he heard Téa say from behind him, "You're going this way, too?"

            Startled, Von Stupor wheeled around and began flailing his arms, screaming.  Luckily, Téa was further back, so Von Stupor merely slapped at air.  After a moment, he processed whose voice it was and stopped.

            "Téa," he said, shakily.  "Thou art quite fortunate.  Had thee been any closer, thou wouldst have fallen victim to the ancient art of dumb-fu."

            "Von Stupor, you're really weird," she laughed.  "Do you mind if I walk with you?"

            "Yes, go away."

            Téa looked at Von Stupor incredulously.

            "I only kid, Téa of Gardener, you should know me better than that," Von Stupor explained.

            "Oh, okay.  I was confused for a minute there."

            "As is everyone else.  My job is done here."

            "Von Stupor, I'd actually like to know a little more about you.  You're son mysterious and you didn't say a whole lot about yourself last time we were talking."

            "What would you like to know?"

            "Well, you kind of appeared all of a sudden.  Where did you come from?"

            "I hail from America, land of the hot dog!"

            "America?  That's really neat!  I hope to move there and become a dancer someday!"

            "A… pole dancer?"

            "That's not funny."

            "Then it's not true either, I take it."

            "No!" she said, elbowing his arm.

            "Right, then.  I apologize."

            They were silent for about a minute, when Téa suddenly spoke.

            "What do you hope to do when you're older?"

            "Oh, I don't know.  I have no plans as of now."

            "You sound upset."

            "I just recently began contemplating why I came here and realized that I have found no clues and/or leads towards Pegasus's disappearance.  I am sad."

            "Well, I'm sure something will come up.  He can't be dead or the whole world would have known by now."

            "I suppose.  If that is so, however, then what happened?  Where is he?"

            "I wish I knew…  You really are determined to find him, though."

            "Why would I not?  He is not only a role model, but a good friend."

            "I like that about you," she said, blushing slightly.

            "What???" he asked quickly.  Just as fast, he corrected himself.  "I mean, you like what about me?"

            Téa looked up to the sky and said, "I like that you're so fiercely loyal to your friends, but not only that.  I also like how you're so friendly even to those you don't know.  I remember what you did for Yugi back when you defeated the rare hunter.  You blindly went in there without even caring about the consequences.  It was really nice of you to do that."

            "Bah!  It would have been a major disadvantage for Yugi to face that burlap sack of stinky stink with the condition he was in!"

            "You wouldn't have helped if he was well?"

           "Anyone who can defeat Maximillion Pegasus is more than capable of handling themselves against a mere rare hunter.  However, I would have offered support from the side."

            "I guess you're right."

            "Just then, a few teen-aged boys approached them.  They appeared to be unfriendly.  One wore a backwards baseball cap.  He had long hair that came down to his shoulders.  Another had his hair buzzed off.  The last appeared to be the youngest.  He had a small cut on his cheek.

            The one with the baseball cap stepped forward and said, "You two are out awfully late.  It could be dangerous to wander around alone at this time of the night."

            "Yeah," snickered the buzzed one.  "How much money ya got?"

            "You should have plenty in that coat of yours," said the young one with a sneer.

            Téa remained silent while Von Stupor slid his hands into the sleeves of his cope and fastened snaps, saying, "I have one rupee!  It is Indian currency and if you ask me real nicely, I might let you hold it!"

            "Don't pull no shit with us!" said the one in the baseball cap.  "You wouldn't want anything bad to happen, would you?"

            On saying this, the two older boys pulled out switchblades.  Téa was frozen in shock.

            "I have no Japanese currency, but if you wish, I can give you one Canadian nickel.  The rupee must stay with me, though.  It has sentimental value," Von Stupor offered.

            "Don't screw with us, man!" said the boy with the buzzcut menacingly.  "Give us the money and no one will get hurt!"

            Téa began to reach into her purse, but von Stupor quickly grabbed her hand, shaking his head.

            "They'll hurt us if we don't!" she whispered.

            "No they won't," Von Stupor said aloud.  "If they do anything, they will be tracked down and punished accordingly."

            The one in the baseball cap seemed irritated at this remark.

            "You want a demonstration, freak?!" he asked.

            Von Stupor stood up, arms wide open, and with a chuckle, said,"Do it, he who has no future!"

            The two boys then proceed to stab Von Stupor multiple times in his stomach.  Téa watched in horror as Von Stupor fell to the ground, his cope tattered.

            "Now that we got your boyfriend taken care of, what can we do with you?" said the one with the buzzcut to Téa with a sick grin.

            Téa was frozen in fear as the two older boys slowly moved toward her.  Just then, the youngest boy piped up.

            "Guys, look at your knives!!!" he shouted.

            The two older boys looked at their switchblades to find a shocking surprise; their knives had no blood on them whatsoever.

            "If you are to stab a man to death," they heard Von Stupor shout from behind them.  "make sure you pierce _every layer of clothing!!!"_

            As the boys wheeled around to see Von Stupor holding his tattered cope in his hands, Von Stupor swung his cope and smashed the youngest to the side.  The youngest fell and hit his head on a tree root, knocking him out.  Immediately after hitting the youngest, Von Stupor brought his cope into the air and slammed it upon the buzzcutted kid's head, knocking him out as well.  By this time, the one in the baseball cap had time to react.  He lunged at Von Stupor with the switchblade, but Von Stupor held the cope in front of him like a shield and the cope was stabbed instead.  The kid slammed the knife down, cutting the cope in half.  Von Stupor pulled a flyswatter out of it and dropped the cope to the ground.

            The kid would try to stab and slash at von Stupor, but every time he did, von Stupor would hop back and swat his hand.  After a few minutes of this, the kid lunged angrily at Von Stupor.  Von Stupor used his flyswatting hand to knock his hand holding the knife and hit the kid with a left hook, followed by two hard smacks across his face with the flyswatter.  At this time, the kid's hand was bright red and covered with welts.  Getting desparate, he jumped over to Téa and grabbed her from behind, putting the knife to her throat.

            "You make one move and I'll slit her!" he said, backing up.

            Von Stupor pointed behind the kid and said, "Look!  A distraction!"

            The kid stupidly looked away and von Stupor gave the kid a fierce smack on the hand.  The kid howled in pain and dropped the knife.  Téa quickly got away and Von Stupor, seizing the opportunity, grabbed the kid by the head and slamming it face-first into his mask.  The kid's nose was shattered and blood spewed from it.  Von Stupor let him drop to the ground where he laid, crying in pain.

            Téa, realizing it was over, ran over to Von Stupor and latched herself to him.  Von Stupor grunted in confusion.

            "You could've been killed…" she said with relief.  "Why did you do that???"

            "My cope is very thick," he answered, struggling for air.  "I knew their puny knives wouldn't pierce the whole thing.  Why do you ask?"

            "I was so scared, I thought you were hurt…"

            "Do not fear for me, fear for yourself.  I am expendible."

            She finally let go of him and he nonchalantly sucked in a mouthful of air.

            "You would sacrifice your life for me?"

            "I would sacrifice my life for anyone who is deserving of it."

            Téa stared at Von Stupor for a moment.  Breaking the silence, Von Stupor looked away and said, "You should probably go home before these delinquents recover."

            Téa agreed and Von Stupor followed her home.

            Before going inside, she said to von Stupor, "Thank you, Von Stupor… for everything you've done."

            "Téa, seeing Yugi's dark Magician and Millennium Puzzle in his possession, or seeing you safe from harm, or seeing any of my attempts at a good deed not made in vain is thanks enough for me."

            Téa smiled sweetly at Von Stupor, but as she did, he clenched his chest with his right hand and wobbled a bit.

            "Von Stupor—" she started.

            "D-don't ask," he cut her off, panting.  "I-I'm fine, but… I must go.  Good night."

            "Good night, and good luck at the finals tomorrow.  I'll be rooting for all of you."

            Von Stupor nodded, still breathing heavily.  He then headed back to his hotel room.


	9. The Conclusion of The Masked Duelist

"The Conclusion of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

            Von Stupor awoke to find Téa looming over him.

            "Wah!" he shouted in surprise, scooting back.  "How did you get in the room?!"

            "I picked the lock," she said.  "It's a lesser known hobby of mine."

            "I suppose you are a fan of collecting ashtrays as well?"

            "Oh yes, but I haven't told anyone about it yet."

            "I could tell you shared my interest in ashtrays when I noticed how you decorated your body with them."

            "You're so sweet, Von Stupor!  Have a Tic-Tac."

            "Yay!"  Von Stupor cheered, happily eating the tic-Tac.

            "Do you mind if I use your bathroom?"

            "Not at all.  It smells like lilacs!"

            "Yay!"

            Von Stupor and Téa left the hotel and met Yugi and Tristan at the card shop.  They were in the middle of a thumb war.

            "Sneak attack!" shouted Yugi as his index finger hooked Tristan's thumb and forced it down.  Yugi laughed playfully.

            "After fifteen consecutive sneak attacks, I think it _loses its funny!!!" screamed Tristan, punching Yugi in his face._

            Tristan noticed Yugi still laughing, so he punched him repeatedly, knocking him to the ground.  Tristan continued punching Yugi as Von Stupor taught Téa the Hokey-Pokey.

            Joey soon ran over to Tristan and broke Yugi and him up.

            "That's not hw we treat a friend!" he scolded, pushing Tristan away.  "You gotta kick him after he hits the ground!"

            Tristan nodded in acknowledgement and proceeded with kicking Yugi.  Once Tristan was finished, he then urinated on Trusdale's car.

            "_Wazzuuuuuup…" said Yugi, getting up._

            "_Wazzuuuuuup…" said Joey._

            "_Wazzuuuuuup…" added Tristan._

            "_Wazzuuuuuup…" Téa chimed in._

            "Why I'm just fine!" answered Von Stupor, excitedly.  "I was just picked up by a gay cab driver the other day at the airport when I came to enter the big Battle City tournament!  He was awfully friendly."

            "Is that you final answer?" said Serenity, appearing out of nowhere.

            "Potatoes!" replied Von Stupor.

            "…And you're correct for one wintergreen flavored Tic-Tac!!!"

            "Yay!  That's one, two!  Two marvelous Tic-Tacs, ah, ah, ah!" commented Von Stupor, sounding like Sesame Street's the Count.

            Everyone celebrated by kissing Von Stupor's mask.  However, when Téa kissed it, Yugi became quite angry.

            "Arg.  I are quite angry." he announced.

            "Whatever could be wrong, dearest Yugi?" Von Stupor asked, hoping for a third Tic-Tac.

            "Back off, dawg!" he commanded Von Stupor, grabbing Téa.  "Dis be my woman!"

            "Coo down, my homie g-dawg yo!" Von Stupor pleaded.  "Help a fellow brotha out!"

            Yugi seemed hesitant.

            "I implore you reconsider," Von Stupor implored, imploring that Yugi reconsider.

            "Well… okay!" he agreed.

            "I am the weakest link!  Good-bye."

            With that said, Von Stupor and Téa swam into the air and flew away, holding each others ear.  Téa's ear fell off in a short while, so they stopped.

            "Now I am lonely…" Yugi sniffled.  "…for I have no woman…"

            "That's okay, Yugi!  I'm here for you!" Joey assured him.

            "You'll… you'll be my woman?"

            "What're friends for?"

            "Yay!"

            …And everyone lived crappily ever after.


	10. The Cope of the Masked Duelist

**I'd just like to make another announcement here.  The Conclusion of the Masked Duelist… was a fake chapter.  It has absolutely nothing to do with the storyline at all.  I figured that the story was going so smoothly that I'd shake things up a bit with a false chapter, complete with bad jokes, clichés, and a lot of OOC statements from everybody.  In layman's terms, it was just a prank.  Do you forgive me?  Anyways, on with the story!  Oh, and don't worry, that chapter was the first and last of my false chapters.  Just had to experiment and stuff.**__

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Cope of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

Baron Von Stupor had always acted a little eccentric around Yugi and friends, but nothing like he is now.  He now seemed very quiet and sorrowful, and would periodically snap his head around, paranoid.  Due to the absence of his cope, he now bore a hooded jacket, unzipped.  It has a darker shade of gray than that of the late cope.

Just as he agreed, he met everyone at the Kamé Game Store prior to heading off for the finals.  There, he met Serenity Wheeler and Duke Devlin, and was reunited with Nina, whom he had met in his earlier travels.  Once they were together, they traveled toward the site of the finals, which according to the locater cards, was the Battle city Stadium.

"Von, what's the matter?" Joey asked, concerned.  "You've been twitching ever since you got here!"

"His coat got mauled in an accident, Joey," Téa answered for him.

"What?!  How'd it happen???"

"Don't worry about it; he got them back for it."

"I… I want my cope…" Von Stupor stuttered.  "I feel so… naked…"

"Well, I'm pretty sure that thing meant a lot to you, but it's no reason to act all screwy.  Come on, it's just a coat!" Joey reasoned.

"No!" shrieked Von Stupor, grabbing Joey by his jacket.  Everyone became nervous.

"Does he always act like this?" Duke whispered to Yugi.

"No, he really doesn't!  He's actually a nice guy!" said Yugi, not knowing what to do.

"That wasn't _just_ a coat; it was a _cope_!  Not just any cope; _my_ cope, the cope of Baron Von Stupor!  Without it, I am not even a baron at all…" he whimpered, letting go of Joey.  "My… my trademark…"

His mask began glowing again and dark electricity surged throughout his body.

"No!  Not now!" he shrieked, clutching the mask.  He appeared to be resisting Majora's coming.

"_I am growing bored, Baron Von Stupor,_" he complained, his voice distorted.  "_Allow me to exact revenge on those boys that destroyed your cope._"  His voice became normal again as he continued.  "No!  They have been paid their dues!  _Which you should have allowed me to do!  Are you going back on our deal?!  We had an agreement!_  I'm sorry…  I wanted to handle things that time…  _Von Stupor, Von Stupor, what do you do these things?  Must I take over your body for good?_  No!  I'm sorry, but I believe that every corrupted duelist has been eliminated from the tournament!  _Then let us find others._  There is no time, the finals begin shortly!  _You promised me corrupt people to torture!!!  You are not keeping your end of the bargain!!!_"

Everyone gasped.

"I know that and I apologize, Majora, just please wait until the end of the tournament…  _Fine.  Hurry and get your tournament over with, but I want more victims._"

The mask stopped glowing and Von Stupor fell to his knees.  He began murmuring something to himself.  Joey promptly ran over to Von Stupor and yanked him up by his shirt. resort to violence!"

Von Stupor didn't say a word.  Though he could stand on his own, he was very wobbly.  His head rolled around on his shoulders as if he were a wandering corpse.

"Von Stupor…" Téa asked him.  "Are you alright?"

"I want my cope…" he mumbled in reply.  She spied a tear drip off the bottom of

"What kind of sick deal do you have going with Majora?!" he demanded.

"Wh… what?" he asked hazily.

"Don't give me that crap!  I heard Majora talking about you bringing him corrupted people to torture!  You better spill it, Von, 'cause if I hear another elusive answer out of you, things might have to get ugly!"

"Joey, no!" cried Yugi, pulling Von Stupor away from Joey.  "We don't need to resort to violence!  Just calm down, Joey!"

Von Stupor wandered away while Tristan joined Yugi and Joey's debate about Von Stupor.

"No, we need to find out what's going on with him, now!  He could have intentions that none of us might know about!" Joey insisted.

"That may be true, but he seems to be having some serious side effects from losing his cope!  Don't you think we ought to let him get over this first?" Yugi argued.

"I'm sorry Joey, but I'm with Yugi on this one," Tristan agreed.

Téa noticed Von Stupor wandering away and caught up with him.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I… I must sit down… my cope…"

"How important is your cope to you?"

"It was my friend…"

"Last night… did you intend for it to get destroyed like that?"

"No… but at the time, it did not matter.  Your safety was more important than the cope, for it is but an inanimate object.  However, its inanimate state does not change the fact… that it was an excruciatingly painful loss…"

"I'm sorry.  I wish there was something I could do to help."

Von Stupor simply stared toward the ground.  She put her arm around him to console him, but as she did this, he once again grabbed his chest and nearly fell over.

"Von Stupor, wh…?!"

"I'm fine!  I'm fine, do not worry," he quickly explained, panting.

"Are you sure?  This has happened twice now…"

"Yes, it's just…  I'm fine, really."

"Alright, then. Come on, let's keep going to the finals."

"Wait a minute," Joey piped up.  "Von, I'm sorry for my reaction earlier, but what is this deal you have going with Majora?"

"Please," Von Stupor pleaded.  "I assure you, it's not what it sounds like… give me some time…  I promise I'll tell you later…"

"Alright, then, but I've got my eye on you."

"I understand…  Cope…"

Together, they all traveled to the Battle City Stadium.  As they stepped inside, they saw Kaiba standing in front of his corporate blimp.  With him stood Mai Valentine, a cloaked man (presumably a rare hunter), and Bakura.

"Wow, Bakura, you made it?" Téa asked him with interest.

"I wasn't easy, but somehow, I managed," he replied modestly.

Nina very nervously approached Mai.

"You… you're Mai…  Oh, my god!" she said in excitement.  "You're my idol, and I'm your biggest fan!" she rambled.

"I… can tell…  You bear a disturbingly strong likeness to me," Mai replied, feeling uncomfortable.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not crazy or anything, just hopelessly obsessed with you!  I know everything about your life, stuff you may not even think other people do, like how you managed to get your Harpie's Pet Dragon by sleeping—"

Mai clamped her mouth shut, her face a crimson color.

"_Shhhhhhhhh!!!_"  she shushed fiercely.  Joey raised an eyebrow, and a smug grin came on his face.

"Don't be getting any ideas, Wheeler!" she snapped.

Nina gasped and said, "Oh, I'm sorry!  Sometimes I just get carried away when I talk about you, and—oh, I'll just be quiet now.  It's… an honor even being in your presence."

_Wish I could say the same_, Mai thought.

With Nina close behind, she then approached Von Stupor.

"Anyway," she started.  "I've heard some stories about you, Von Stupor.  I was hoping to get in a quick exhibition match before the finals actually started.  After all, there's a chance I may not get to face you.  Simply put, I just want to see if the rumors about you are true.  What do you say?"

"…But my cope…" Von Stupor said.

"Hey Von, don't worry about it.  You're cope's gone and there's nothing you can do about it.  You're gonna have to duel without it eventually, so you should take this opportunity to get used to it, right?" Joey advised.

"I… suppose so…"

Since the tournament finals were not to start for another half hour, Kaiba allowed them to use their duel disks in the stadium, provided they stayed away from the blimp.

"Be warned, though; when the tournament starts, we will disqualify either of you if you're not ready." he stated.

"Are you going first?" Mai asked Von Stupor.

"My… my cope…" he blankly replied.

"I'll take that as a no," she said, drawing.  "I'll set one monster and end my turn."

"I-I'll do this…" Von Stupor mumbled, setting three M/T cards and a monster.  The three cards appeared in front of him in their respective places.

"I'll summon the Cyber-Harpie and play 'Elegant Egotist', which allows me to summon my Harpie Lady Sisters from my hand!  To finish this combo, I'll flip summon the Faith Bird!  Moving on to Battle Phase, I order my Faith bird to attack your facedown monster with Beak of Faith attack!"

The Faith Bird wrenched its beak into Von Stupor's face down card, revealing a Sangan.

"That monster lets you select a monster from your deck with an attack value of 1000 or less and add it to your hand!  Good move, but it's a shame it won't outlast the remainder of my attack!  I order my Cyber-Harpie and Harpie Lady Sisters to attack your Life Points directly!"

"I activate 'Negate Attack'…"

"Well, gee.  I suppose I should have expected it.  Fine then, your turn."

"I'll summon the Copycat and transfer the attack and defense of your Harpie Lady Sisters.  Next, I'll play 'Fissure' to destroy your Faith Bird, since it is the monster with the lowest attack on your side of the field.  Now, I'll destroy your Cyber-Harpie with the Copycat."

The Copycat, now endowed with the Harpie Lady Sisters' strength, shot a beam of light from its mirror.  The Cyber-Harpie's torso was burned straight through, and it fell to the ground and faded away in defeat.

"That's not a bad move, not a bad move at all, but I actually would have expected something more… flashy from the malevolent Baron Von Stupor," she observed.  "Now I shall summon Harpie's Brother!"

"Wait…  I activate Trap Hole…"

"Fine, but I can't allow your Copycat to remain on the field, so I'll sacrifice my Harpie Lady Sisters to destroy your Copycat by attacking it!"

"Wh…?  Since their attacks are the same, both monsters will be destroyed…"

"Exactly!"

"I'll defend by activating another 'Negate Attack'."

"Hmph.  Fine, your turn."

"I draw…  I'll play Dark Hole."

Both monsters were sucked into a black void that appeared between them and were never seen again.

"What the…  Von Stupor, why didn't you just attack me and save that card for later???"

"I… I don't know…"

"This isn't good," Yugi said to Téa.  "Von Stupor's dueling has been thrown way off since he lost his cope!  Are you sure there's no way to recover it?"

"It was cut straight down the middle, there's no way we can recover it in time," she replied.  "I hope he can hold off Mai without it…"

"I'll pass my turn, there's nothing I can do right now," Mai announced.

"I set one M/T…  Your turn…"

"You seem a little disturbed, Von Stupor.  If you want to quit the duel, just say so."

"No, I can do it…"

"Alright, then.  I'll summon the Skull Red Bird and attack you directly!"

"I'll reduce the damage to zero by discarding Kuriboh."

"You know, you need to get more aggressive!  You're never going to beat me if all you do is waste cards fending me off.  Make a move, but make something of it this time."

"I… pass."

"Are you even listening to me?  I summon Harpie's Brother and attack you directly with both of my monsters!"

The Skull Red Bird slashed Von Stupor with its talons and Harpie's Brother flanked him with his claw, sending his Life Points to 4650.

"Guh!"  Von Stupor grunted.  "I…  I can't do it!  My cope…  I… I set one M/T and end my turn…"

The word wouldn't cease rolling through Téa's head.

_Cope…  Cope…  His coat…_ she thought.

"I'll attack you directly with Skull Red Bird, sending your Life Points to 3100!" Mai declared.

"Wait!" Téa exclaimed to Yugi as the Skull Red Bird attacked Von Stupor.  "Yugi, take off your jacket and give it to Von Stupor!"

"What?" Yugi asked, confused.

"I've seen you wear your jacket like Von Stupor does before!  Just do it!"

Yugi obediently took off his jacket and tossed it to Von Stupor.  Von Stupor caught it with one hand, but looked at Yugi incredulously.

"Wear it!" Téa commanded.

"…Why?"

"It's a cope!"

Something must have clicked in Von Stupor's head, because once Téa said this, Von Stupor slapped the jacket around his neck almost instantaneously and shrieked to Mai at the top of his lungs, "_Behold, for I am Baron Von Stupor!!!_"

"Big deal," said Mai coldly.  "Harpie's Brother, attack him directly with Harpie's Claw attack!"

"Not so fast, Valentine of Mai!  I activate 'Call of the Haunted' and bring my Sangan back from the grave!" Von Stupor countered.

"Hmph, that's only a setback for me!  I told you to get aggressive!"

"All in time, my scantily clad adversary."

Mai looked down at herself and went red.

"I heard you were very perceptive, but I didn't think they meant it like that, you perv—"

"I care not about your garzonkas, despite what you infer!  I am merely stating that if I wore any less than you do, I would be nude."

Joey was the only one to laugh.

A nerve popped out of her head as she said, "Excuse me, but are you calling me a slut?"

"No, no.  I am calling you a walking advertisement.  Why do you ask?"

"You know, I'm gonna make you pay for that remark!  So far, these rumors I've been hearing about you are anything but true!  Harpie's Brother, attack his Sangan!"

"I shall lose 800 Life Points from that attack, meaning I have a mere 2300 Life Points compared to your 7850.  However, the monster I just pulled to my hand shall lead to my victory!"

"Oh, come on!  You're at a heavy disadvantage!  It'll take a miracle for you to come back!"

"I've come back from worse.  I shall first set one M/T and summon Witch of the Black Forest!  Next, I'll equip it with both Axe of Despair and Sword of Dark Destruction, raising its attack to 2600!  Now attack Harpie's Brother with Meghid Magnified!"

"Now I'm at 7150.  That wasn't a bad move, but this war isn't over yet!  I'll play my 'Dark Hole', which destroys your Witch of the Black Forest!"

"In doing so, you have activated her effect!  I shall now place a monster with a defense of 1500 or less from my deck into my hand!"

"You're up to something, so I'll play 'Rising Air Current', which increases all WIND-type monsters' attack by 500!  Now, no matter what monster you summon, it still can't compete with another Harpie's Brother or Cyber Harpie!"

"That is unimportant Mai or Valentine, for I destroy your 'Rising Air Current' with 'Mystical Space Typhoon'!  Next, I shall summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp and attack your Life Points directly with Genie Fist attack!"

La Jinn jabbed Mai in the face, dropping her Life points to 5350.

"I knew I'd take a hit one way or another, but that doesn't matter.  I'll just draw and… what???"

Mai looked at her hand in shock.

"I…  I don't have a monster to summon!" she sputtered.

"That seems like an unbalanced deck to me," Von Stupor said, mockingly.  "Clearly the mark of an amateur, as you would say, ha, ha."

"I don't seem to have lost more than half of my Life points, have I?"

"Ha, ha, touché."

"Furthermore, I happen to have placed in the semifinals of the Duelist kingdom tournament.  What, pray tell, have you placed in?  Sorry kiddo, but you've only become infamous in this region, while I'm known across the world, so don't tell me whose deck is unbalanced when I've clearly got the advantage."

"Does amateur status truly spawn from invisibility in tournaments?  Am I truly an amateur in that I haven't placed in any tourneys before now?  Is it possible that I am merely an amateur simply because I haven't placed in a large tournament?"

"No, what makes someone an amateur is how long they've actually played.  If I'm not mistaken, you haven't played much if you're just now being recognized for your skills."

"So a sub par duelist can duel for many years, and afterward, not be an amateur despite his many mistakes?"

"No, to stop being an amateur, you have to have skill and true dueling experience!"

"I possess both."

"Are you going to duel or sit around and chat all day long?!"

"Very well, then.  You speak of having the advantage?"

"Of course, look at the Life Point count."

"Ah, yes, the Life Points.  Examine your side of the field compared to mine.  I have one monster, and you have none.  Now, examine your side of the field compared to mine and speak to me of who has the advantage when I summon the Whiptail Crow and attack you directly with both monsters!"

La Jinn slapped Mai's head while the Whiptail Crow bludgeoned the other side with its tail, cutting her Life Points down to 1900.

"Oh, no…" she groaned.  "How could you have come back in just a few turns?  All I can do now is set this monster and end my turn…"

"Now you shall feel the wrath once I summon Zombyra the Dark!  Attack, my monsters!  Zombyra, take the set monster!  La jinn, Whiptail Crow, bring in the rear!  Behold, for you are defeated-ed-ed!"

The face down monster Skull Red Bird was destroyed easily and La Jinn and Whiptail Crow double teamed her once more, smashing away the rest of her Life Points.

"Ohhhh…" she groaned.  "I was so close to beating you, too…"

"Who is of amateurs now, Miss of Valentine?"

"Alright, Alright, I'll admit it.  The rumors about you are true, and you beat me fair and square.  That doesn't mean I'm down and out yet, though.  Since this was an exhibition match, it's not official and I got to see how you duel.  I'm going to really adjust my deck to counter yours and I'll be waiting for our rematch!"

"I too, shall stand idly."

Mai walked away with Nina in hot pursuit, and Von Stupor rejoined Yugi and company.

"That was a good duel you had, Von Stupor!" complimented Yugi.

"Why thank you, he whose hair is designed to resemble a five fingered hand!" Von Stupor thanked him.  He then turned to Téa.  "This victory has been gained thanks to you, Téa.  Your courage and bravery weren't really shown in this scene, as there was nothing holding you back from what you did.  However, your kindness is greatly admired.  Thank you, SuperTéa."

Slightly confused, but appreciating the compliment, she nodded her head and said, "No problem Von Stupor.  As long as we're friends, we'll always stay by your side, no matter what!"

"Wait a minute," said Joey, jumping in.  "You mind telling us about Majora now, or did you think we'd forget or something?"

"Right," said Von Stupor.  "You see, he who wears this mask is prey for Majora.  He who wears this cannot take it off unless Majora wills it to come off.  Majora will come out and possess the body for his own purpose, which is to inflict as much suffering as he can in people.  After all, in the past, he was a very powerful sorcerer that struggled to rule the world but whose spirit was sealed inside this mask before he could.  Fortunately for me, I was able to cut a deal with Majora.  He would allow me to live out my life as long as I supplied him with people to have his way with.  In this world, such people exist that are big headed, that are evil, that are dishonorable in their ways.  I seek those people and feed them to Majora.  He will do things to them such as destroying their prized possessions through his dark magic so as to not allow it to be traced back to me, or in a worst case scenario, corrupt their mind to where it is nothing but terrifying hallucinations.  In doing this, I would help the world, though in a negative way, as well as maintain my life.  It is… the only way."

"You're kidding…  You're a prisoner of your own mask…" Joey sympathized.

"Alas, I make do."

Tristan piped up and asked, "You know, you were really freaking out back there without your cope.  What was with that?"

Von Stupor sighed and said, "My cope is my trademark.  It is who I am.  One cannot lose track of who they are, or one is lost.  Without my cope, I—"

"No way!" Joey cut him off.  "Cope or no cope, you're definitely Von Stupor!  I mean, there's your deck, the way you word your sentences, and lots of other things!  You don't have just one trademark!  Besides, who needs a trademark to tell people who they are?  As long as _you_ know who you are, then you won't be lost at all!  Who cares what other people know you by?"

"Yeah," Tristan added.  "Who really cares?  If _you_ know who _you_ are, then that's all that matters!  Nobody can tell you otherwise."

"Perhaps…  Perhaps you are correct.  Perhaps though my cope is very near and dear to me, it is not necessary to maintain proper identity.  Perhaps… it is a mere accessory and is thusly expendable…" contemplated Von Stupor, taking off Yugi's jacket.  "Yugi, I shall not need this anymore.  Thank you, all.  I shall progress through the finals copeless, but strong."

Kaiba then stepped out of the blimp and stated, "We will be leaving shortly, via this blimp.  When the finals begin—"

"Potatoes!" Von Stupor shouted.

"When the finals begin," Kaiba continued, biting his tongue.  "We will hold the first round atop the blimp.  By the time the first round is finished, we should be at if not already at the true site of the semi-final and final rounds."

He turned and walked into the blimp, and everyone followed close behind.


	11. The First Match with the Masked Duelist

**I apologize once more for the distant update.  I gets harder and harder every day for me to find the time to type these chapters up.  Every time I get on, my parents will within five minutes kick me right back off.  Luckily, at this very moment, I am home baby-sitting my seven-year-old brother, so I have plenty of time to post this.  In fact, I am so much farther into the story on paper than I am on the computer.  Ha ha, you didn't think I slowed down in writing the story, did you?  All in all, I'm typing these chapters as fast as I can, so stay faithful, my readers!  This story shall be completed!**

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"The First Match with the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

The finals of the Battle City tournament had finally begun, and Von Stupor's match was the last one of the round.  It was amazing how fast the first three matches went.  Von Stupor reminisced on the three spectacular duels.

The first was Yugi versus Bakura.  For the match, the evil spirit of Bakura's Millennium Ring was out and about, though Von Stupor was oblivious to the spirit's existence.  He used many odd cards against Yugi, such as the fearsome monster 'Dark Necrofear', the disturbing 'Dark Sanctuary', and the show-stopping 'Destiny Board' card combination.  One by one, however, those tactics fell under Yugi's might.

The second match would have been Joey versus Marik.  It was later revealed, though, that Marik was a fraud and in actuality was Marik's guardian, Odion.  Shortly after this, the one known as Namu, a "friend" Joey had found on the streets, confessed to be the true Marik Ishtar.  In addition to this, Marik's enraged other self surfaced, creating a darker, more evil Marik than before.  A freak accident occurred when Odion attempted to summon the ancient Egyptian god monster, The Winged Dragon of Ra.  Due to the fact that the card was a copy created by the rare hunters, the god was enraged and struck down either duelists with bolts of lightning.  While Joey recovered, Odion was left incapable of dueling, making Joey the victor by default.

The third match was Kaiba versus Mai.  She fought valiantly, but was overcome by Kaiba.  Though at a distinct disadvantage, Mai began to come back towards the end, having managed to summon Harpie's Pet Dragon.  However, Kaiba summoned the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and ended the match very quickly.

This left the fourth and final match of the first round to be Baron Von Stupor versus Marik Ishtar.  He stepped onto his dueling platform and it raised up to the playing field.

"You mentioned during an earlier encounter that your rare hunters were waiting to strike," mentioned Von Stupor.  "and yet you never striked.  Is there a reason behind this?"

"Yes," answered Marik.  "Once I received word that you obtained an ancient Egyptian god card, I wanted to face you so that I may win your god card myself!"

"If you win, you will not obtain my god card."

"Why do you say that?"

"I chose not to use it."

"_What?!_"

"I have no need for it.  It would only hamper my strategy."

"Hmmm, that won't be necessary, really.  Once you lose this duel, I shall send you to the Shadow Realm and take your god card myself!"

"Eh?"

"Yes, this will not be a normal duel that you are used to.  This… will be a _shadow game!_"

"A shadow game, eh?  How do you play this… shadow game?"

"Marik!" Yugi called after shifting into Yami.  "Leave him out of this!  I'm the one you want!"

"Stand down, Pharaoh!" Marik replied.  "You're not the only one I'm after.  He possesses one of the god cards, and therefore he is also my enemy!"

Realizing there was nothing he could do, Yami said to Von Stupor, "Be careful.  Shadow games are very dangerous and losing one could yield drastic results."

"The rules are quite simple, Von Stupor." Marik said coolly to Von Stupor.  The loser of this match shall have their mind sent to the shadow realm.  Do you think you have what it takes to defeat me?"

"I am not one to predict the future, maker of stinky clothing."

"Ah, that's right.  You're also the one who continuously makes a mockery of the rare hunters.  This shall make for a nice punishment.  Let us take this shadow game to the Shadow Realm, your future home!"

Saying this, Marik raised his Millennium Rod into the air and loosed a dark fog from it.  It was a dense, black fog that engulfed the entire area.  Strangely, it was clear inside, but Von Stupor could not see past its boundaries.  Looking around, he saw that everyone had been trapped inside.

"Being in the Shadow Realm puts a great strain on one's mind.  Should your mind be unable to withstand the pressure from within this land, you will pass out, unable to duel.  The owner of the item that produced this portion of the Shadow Realm can bend its effects at will, as I shall demonstrate.  So as to keep this duel between you and me, only those involved in this duel will be affected by the Shadow realm's strain, meaning the Pharaoh, the referee, Seto Kaiba, and all the others will be fine.  The loser of this shadow game shall be trapped here for all of eternity, suffering the torture of their own mind, ha ha ha ha ha!"

_Interesting, a shadow game,_ said Majora from inside Von Stupor's mind.  _If you allow me to have him after the duel, I shall even take care of the shadow game for you._

_What do you speak of?_ Von Stupor thought back.

_You are currently in the Shadow Realm, and there shall be a great strain put on your mind, yes?_

_Indeed…_

_Your lack of experience may cause you to pass out in the middle of the duel and become incapacitated. I have experience with dueling in the Shadow Realm.  Furthermore, I possess the mental capacity to deal with the Shadow Realm's power.  Give me Marik, and I shall duel for you._

_I am sorry Majora, but I cannot allow that.  Marik is not truly evil, merely clouded in his own delusions, therefore he is undeserving of your wrath.  Would you be able to duel him without negative consequences?_

_Either you give him to me or it is no deal._

_Then so be it._

_You will let me have him?_

_No, I shall duel him alone._

Majora growled and sank into the recesses of the mask, signifying he was infuriated.

"You should have allowed him to come out while he had the chance," commented Marik.

"What is this…?" Von Stupor asked, confused.

"By the power of my Millennium Rod, I was able to detect your conversation.  I suppose you would rather suffer the awesome might of my Egyptian god card by yourself?"

"No, I seek to free you from the wicked delusion rather than allow Majora to corrupt your mind.  'Tis merely a matter of vanquishing the evils within you, he-who-mocks-Super-Saiyans."

"You would be lucky enough to damage my Life Points.  Now, let's get this duel over with.  I'll go first by setting two M/T cards and summoning a 7 Colored Fish.  You are truly a fool to even believe you could defeat me."

The 7 Colored Fish was summoned and hovered in midair.

"To think what an event would be that the almighty leader of the rare hunters, Marik Ishtar were to be defeated by a fool!  I shall set two M/T cards and summon Zombyra the Dark!  That ends my turn."

"Say what you want, but you will realize my superiority once you meet my god card!  Now I shall activate 'Offerings to the Doomed'!  At the cost of skipping my next Draw Phase, I may destroy one monster on your side of the field!  Since Zombyra is the only monster, you may consider him destroyed!"

Candles appeared around Zombyra and a great beast, Ammit, erupted from the ground.  It grabbed Zombyra in its mighty jaws and drug him underground, never to return.  The ground then closed back up.

"Now I shall play 'Harpie's Feather Duster', destroying all of your M/T cards and attack your Life points directly with the 7 Colored Fish!"

The giant fish swam through the air to Von Stupor and swatted him in his side with its tail.  The blow slammed Von Stupor into the railing behind him, nearly knocking him off.  Von Stupor looked at Marik in shock.

"Have you forgotten already?" Marik asked.  "We are in the Shadow Realm!  If you summon a monster, you summon a monster and not some pathetic little hologram!"

"That's alright, Von!  You can get him!  Show that spiny haired freak who's boss!" Joey rooted from the side.

"Your support supplies my supplement of strength!" Von Stupor responded.  "I shall now summon the Dragon Zombie and equip it with a Sword of Dark destruction!"

A large red blade grew from the decayed dragon's snout, glowing with dark energy.

"Next, I shall attack your 7 Colored Fish!  Double-Edge Tackle attack!"

The Dragon Zombie charged the fish, sticking it through its bottom jaw straight up into its brain, bringing Marik's Life points down to 7800.

"Very well done, Von Stupor, you have actually damaged my Life points.  It seems my boast fell upon deaf ears.  I cannot draw this turn, therefore I shall end it."

"Now I shall tribute my dragon Zombie to summon The Fiend Megacyber!  Next, I'll play 'Monster Reborn' to bring my Dragon Zombie back from the Graveyard.  Next, using my Dragon Zombie's Zombie Breath attack, I shall destroy your set monster!"

The Dragon Zombie yawned at the face-down card and it exploded almost instantly.

"The monster you just destroyed was the tornado bird!  Its flip effect sends up to two M/T cards back to your hand!" Marik explained prior to designating two of Von Stupor's set M/T cards.

"Very well, then!  Now I attack your Life points directly with Cyber Strike!"

The Fiend Megacyber leapt over to Marik and gave a hard backhand chop to his neck.  The blow sent Marik sprawling to the ground.  He stood back up, quite angry.  His Life points had sunk straight to 5600 after the attack.  Marik then smirked and pointed his Millennium Rod at von Stupor.

"Why don't we just make this easier for the both of us?  I'll just take control of your body and force you to forfeit the duel." he said coolly.

"No!!!" cried Yugi, switching to Yami.  "Von Stupor, don't let him do it!  Fight it!!!"

Just then, Von Stupor felt a force inside his head.  It was an evil, dark force that pierced his mind.  It spoke to him and sounded just like Marik.

_You cannot win this duel,_ said the voice.  _You are afraid of my god card—terrified, even—and wish to forfeit._

"No…" Von Stupor said aloud.  "I fear no piece of paper!"

_Forfeit the match!  Do it now!!!_

"I for…" Von Stupor began, resisting his will to say it.  His voice was very distorted.  "I for… forf…  _Ha, ha, ha!_  I forgot what forfeit means!"  His voice returned to normal.  "Even forgetfulness can be taken advantage of, I suppose…"

_Put your hand on top of your deck to mark your defeat!_

Von Stupor's hands then began glowing.  He put his hand of cards in his right hand and shakily reached for his deck.

"No!  I don't want to do this!" he cried.

"What the heck?!  He's trying to do the same thing he did to Joey!" Tristan exclaimed.

"Fight it, Von!  You can beat it!" Joey commanded.

Just then, Majora began to speak within Von Stupor's mind.

_How dare you intrude within my vessel's mind?_ he said to the voice.  _Von Stupor is mine!  Get out!!!_

Everyone heard a large explosion and Marik flew back against the railing of his dueling platform.  He was absolutely furious.

_Thank you, Majora,_ Von Stupor thought to the spirit.

_This does not change my mood, Von Stupor.  I simply do not appreciate others intruding in my vessel._

"It is currently Marik's turn!" called the referee.  "If Marik does not make a move in the next thirty seconds, he will forfeit the duel!"

"You watch your tongue, referee!" Marik threatened.  "Fine, then.  It will be much more entertaining to watch you suffer at the hands of my god card while your bearings are straight anyway.

"That's a bit much to ask for in Von's case," Joey whispered to Tristan, nudging him with his elbow.

They both snickered.

"I'll draw and play 'Pot of Greed', which allows me to draw two cards.  Next I'll play 'Graceful Charity', which allows me two draw two cards, then discard any two from my hand.  Now I may play 'Change of Heart' and turn your Fiend Megacyber against you!" Marik announced.

The Fiend Megacyber then turned to face Von Stupor, looking down upon him menacingly.

"Your card's effect shall only last for the duration of the turn, however," Von Stupor pointed out.

"Smart lad.  However, I can counter that minor inconvenience by tributing your Fiend Megacyber to summon one of my own!  Now I shall first play Raigeki, destroying your lone Dragon Zombie and then attack your Life points with Megacyber Rush!"

The Fiend Megacyber loosed a devastating combo on Von Stupor, sending his Life points to 4000.  Von Stupor lay on the ground dazed.

Yugi and friends yelled for him to get up, but at first he did not listen.  With perseverance, however, he slowly rose to his feet.  In an attempt to concentrate, he silently set an M/T and ended his turn.

"Feel the pain of your own monster, Von Stupor!  Fiend Megacyber, attack his Life points directly!"

The Fiend Megacyber leaped into the air and clubbed Von Stupor's head down, his head nearly hitting the railing in front of him.

"Ugh…" he groaned, getting back up.  "My… my Life points…"

"Yes, at a mere 1800.  I also see the Shadow Realm is tiring your mind finally.  Is the strain too much for you?"

"Not too much for me to laugh at the eye on your forehead…  I'll set one monster and end my turn, heh heh…"

"Insolence!  I attack your set monster with The Fiend Megacyber!"

Being a Man-Eating Treasure Chest, it was destroyed rather easily.

"No!" cried Von Stupor after seeing the card he had just drawn.  "I have no moves to make!  I'll… pass my turn…"

"I have you right where I want you, ha ha ha…  I told you that you could not defeat me.  Now I want you to pay for insulting the rare hunters.  I end my turn without attacking."

_He must be worried about my trap,_ thought Von Stupor to himself.  _It has been set for some time.  It is really not much of a trap in this case, but it could help…  I'll save it for later._

"I shall end my turn."

"Right now, Von Stupor is at Marik's mercy," Yami observed.  "This could quite possibly be it for him."

"He fought hard, but the poor guy just can't win in a shadow game.  Especially one that eats at your mind the whole time," Joey commented.  "I really feel bad for him."

"Von Stupor…" Téa whispered under her breath.

"I'll summon the 7 Colored Fish and end my turn," announced Marik, chuckling.

Von Stupor silently set a monster and wiped the sweat from under his mask with his jacket.  He then ended his turn.

_It hurts simply to thinking this blasted Shadow Realm!_ he thought.

"I shall summon the Dark Zebra and end my turn," Marik stated.

"Your arrogance betrays you, for I shall summon the Earl of Demise!"

"…however, your earl is destroyed once I activate 'Trap hole'!  I don't have arrogance, I have raw power!  It is _you_ who has arrogance, casually defeating my rare hunters, turning your back on me when I challenge you to a duel!  _You_ have arrogance, and you shall be taught a lesson in respect thusly!  I shall now activate 'Tribute to the Doomed'!  By discarding 'Buster Blader' from my hand, I may destroy your face-down monster!  …And now…  It is finally time to show you raw power… like you have never seen before!"

"No way!  Is he seriously going to use his god card?!" asked Joey, astonished.

"I sacrifice The Fiend Megacyber, Dark Zebra, and 7 Colored Fish to tribute summon my ultimate creature, _The Winged Dragon of Ra!!!_"

The sky darkened and the clouds surged with energy.  Slowly out of the heavens descended the Winged Dragon of Ra.  Von Stupor stood in utter shock at its awesome might.

"The Winged Dragon of Ra gains the attack and defense of the three monsters used to summon it, bringing its attack to 3600 and its defense to 2400!" Marik informed everyone.

_I told you, Von Stupor,_ Majora echoed in his head.  _I told you not to meddle with powers beyond your understanding.  You should have listened to me while you had the chance.  Now your mind shall remain locked away in the Shadow Realm and I will be free to claim your lifeless body as my own._

_You…  You would do such a thing?!_ Von Stupor thought back.  _I thought we were friends!_

_Von Stupor, you were simply a means to an end.  I needed another body, and who knows how long it would it would have taken for another poor, stupid, pathetic, helpless fool to put on my mask?_

_You… used me???_

_It's as simple as that.  Now have fun in the Shadow Realm, Baron Von Stupor, and may your precious "potatoes" rot alongside you._

_The potatoes…_

"Next," Marik continued.  "I shall use my dragon's second ability, 'Point-to-Point Transfer'!  I'll explain how it works! By sacrificing my Life Points, I can increase its attack by the same amount, so by sacrificing all but one of my Life Points, the Winged Dragon of Ra's attack shall increase to an unstoppable 6599!  Now I shall attack your Life Points directly _and win this duel!!!_"

The dragon began charging up a massive surge of energy in its mouth and prepared to fire it at Von Stupor.

_Wait,_ he thought to himself.  _I have one chance left…  I must take it now!_

"Marik!" Von Stupor shouted.  "While the god cards are not affected by Magic, Trap, or Monster card effects, the duelist still is!  That is why I shall activate my Trap card, 'Just Desserts'!  It inflicts 500 points of Direct Damage to you for every monster you have on the field, and even with just one monster, the damage is still 499 points more than you can withstand!"

"It's too late!  My dragon's attack has already begun!"

"It matters not!  No monster, even a god, can attack faster than a Trap card!"

"We shall see!"

A fat, grotesque monster sitting at a table with mounds of food atop of it appeared beside Von Stupor.  Just as the dragon shot its burst stream, the monster threw the chicken leg it was eating at Marik.  Both attacks seemingly hit at the same time, and both duelists stood their ground.  When the attacks hit, there was a large explosion of light and smoke.  When the smoke cleared, Marik was seen collapsed against the rail, frozen in utter shock.  Von Stupor remained standing, unfazed by the dragon's attack.

Marik had lost his Life Points first, instantaneously negating the power of the Winged Dragon of Ra's attack.

"The potatoes… shall… live on…" Von Stupor said aloud.  He then passed out due to the Shadow Realm's strain on his mind.

"My… god card…  How did it lose???" Marik sputtered.

He was hunched over, clutching his head.  He groaned in pain, his eyes wide.

"The Winged Dragon of Ra… the strongest of the god cards… failed me?!" he said, and let out a painful howl.  His hair flowed back down over his face and the glowing eye on his forehead shattered.  He wobbled for a few moments prior to collapsing over the rail.

The dueling platform lowered itself and Yugi and friends rushed to the aid of Von Stupor and Marik.

While Marik was put in a bed to rest, von Stupor woke up en route to one.  He was being carried by Tristan.

"You're so nice," said Von Stupor stupidly, and stroked Tristan's cheek.

Tristan stopped and gaped at him for a moment prior to dropping him.  Von Stupor hit the back of his head on the floor and was once again knocked out cold.

Yugi came around the corner and seeing Von Stupor, asked what happened.

"Well, it was the darnedest thing," he replied to Yugi.  "I was carrying him to his bed when the floor jumped up and attacked him."

"Um… what?" asked a perturbed yugi.

"Ask him when he wakes up."

"O… kay?"

Von Stupor was put in a bed to rest for the remainder of the ride to the site of the finals.


	12. The Twisted Mind of the Masked Duelist

"The Twisted Mind of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

            "_This cannot be…_" Majora said to himself.  "_What is going on?_"

            A cube-shaped room appeared around him.  It was dimly lit a single fluorescent light hanging from the ceiling.  The walls were a slight gray, with no windows and a single door.  Beside him sat a rectangular table and a chair.

            After a few moments, a priest came into the room.

            "_Who are you?  What is this place?_" demanded Majora.

            "You poor fool," he said solemnly.  "Here you stand and yet you do not know where you are.  God save you."

            A disco ball lowered out of the ceiling and twirled, bright colors flashing everywhere.  Disco music began playing and the priest began busting a move.

            Majora, now extremely confused, stumbled out of the room.  He then found himself in a fast food restraunt.  The management and customers were at war, throwing food every which way.  One customer ripped the lettuce out of a burger with his teeth and hurled it over the counter, which resulted in a large explosion.  Bodies flew everywhere and the customers began cheering.

            Majora rushed out of the restraunt via the entrance and was bewildered to find himself in a private bathroom.  In the shower stood a very obese naked man, screaming in a high-pitched voice.  Now horribly scarred for life, Majora ran out of the door he entered from, preferring to be in the restraunt.

            Oddly enough, he emerged outside.  However, something was very wrong.  The city was inhabited by penguins, the sun had a smiling face, the birds were toasters with wings, and all the buildings bobbed back and forth in unison.

            He traveled down a snakeskin sidewalk and was stopped by a gang of penguins.  One had a boom box on its shoulder and bobbed its head to the elevator music blaring out of it.

            "How much money ya got, sucka?" said one, brandishing a switchblade.

            "_Your puny weapons do not frighten me, flightless bird.  Remove yourself from my path or fall victim to the horrors of my dark magic_," Majora replied, unafraid.

            "He be jonin', dawg," said another.  "Le's mess him up some!"

            "Yeah," said the first.  "You bes' be learnin' some respect!"

            They each pulled out a switchblade and came towards Majora.

            "_Fools!_" he bellowed.  "_Be gone!_"

            With a wave of Majora's hand, each penguin was paralyzed for a moment and thrown back a few feet.

            "_You are indeed fortunate that I do not kill you right now.  However, I am preoccupied with finding answers to my… many questions._"

            "Man, jes' please don't hurt us!  We'll tell you whatever you need ta know!" they pleaded.

            "_Then tell me…  What is this place?!_"

            "Sorry dawg, I can't tell ya none o' dat; ya need ta look ta God for those answers."

            Majora snorted and walked away.

            He walked two more blocks and came across a shopping center.  Just then, two pieces of toast landed on his head and a few penguins laughed at him.  Majora looked up and saw a toaster flying away.

            _Was I just defecated upon by a flying toaster?_ He thought to himself.

            He walked into a store called 'Buttons R' Us'.  The floor was tiled with buttons, the walls were decorated and assorted, and everyone working in the store was a teddy bear with buttons for eyes.

            "This button was the button on the inside zipper of Dale Earnhardt's tuxedo pants during his wedding!" said one to a toothless old woman.

            "Can I help you?" said another to Majora.

            Majora turned and said, "_Yes, tell me where I am._"

            "Why, you're in 'Buttons R' Us', home of the button from Elvis's pants during his first concert!"

            "_I want to know what city I am in._"

            "Um, I can't tell you that.  Look to God for answers to questions like those."

            Sensing no higher intelligence here than anywhere else, Majora abruptly left threw the door he entered and wound up in a lumberjack convention.  As he looked around, he felt something rub against his rear.  Surprised at this, he turned to see what had done it, but saw no clues.  All he saw were lumberjacks everywhere, laughing and showing off their muscles.  Just then, something patted his rear.  He frantically turned from side to side, but all he saw nothing.  He continuously felt manly hands patting and squeezing his hind side.  Panicking, Majora ran.  The faster he ran, though, the more hands he felt.  Soon, he could take no more and let out a mighty roar.  His dark aura energized and exploded from him, decimating the entire area.

            When the smoke cleared, he found out that what he thought was rubble was actually cement.  Once he realized this, he felt the ground shaking lightly.  He looked up to see a gigantic Tristan Taylor and Joey Wheeler.

            "Whoa, that has gotta be the ugliest bug I ever seen!" exclaimed Joey.

            "So what?  Skoosh it and let's get going," responded Tristan.

            "Whatever."

            Joey raised his foot and brought it down forcefully, but Majora ran out of the way.  The force from Joey's shoes hitting the ground knocked him over.

            "Stupid bug!" muttered Joey.

            "_Insolent human!_" Majora called back, attempting to knock Joey away with his magic.

            Due to Joey's massive size, however, he simply stumbled back and fell on his rump.

            Majora floated into the air and demanded to know where he was, but before he could get it out, he was clapped by Tristan.

            Majora, having lost his patience, blasted Tristan's hands apart, but instead of them being hands, they were bed covers wrapped tightly around him.  He threw them off and found himself in the front cart of a roller coaster.  He was the only one on board.  The coaster hit a huge dip, which sent Majora's stomach into his ribcage.  He then hit a ramp next to a sign that said, "Under Construction".

            _Convenient_, Majora thought.

            The coaster was sent careening over a cliff.  Majora hopped out of the cart and began to freefall.  On the way down, a flying toaster flew into the side of his head.  He furiously clutched his head in pain.  He used his magic to correct his fall and land softly.  Four slices of toast landed on his head.

            He looked up to finally see a place he recognized; Ostreinsburg Chapel.

            _Look to god for answers_, he thought to himself.  _I'll look to him, all right.  I'll swallow his soul, too._

            Majora walked inside.  There was light shining from the painted glass windows.  As Majora walked through the massive hall, he could hear a faint whisper speaking to him.

            _Majora…_ it said.

            Majora was a tad nervous.  He continued to wander towards the chasm that haunted the end of the hall.

            _Majora…_

            Once he was an arm's length from the chasm, he stopped.  He felt an ominous presence other than himself in the room.

            Just then, a massive Baron Von Stupor burst from the chasm, screaming "**_My Body as a Shield!!!_**"

            The scare sent Majora sprawling backwards.  He gaped as Pious Augustus came from out of nowhere.

            "Your task, my liege and Greater Guardian, is to guard this place," he said.  "Do not worry about this worm.  His kind yelps in terror at sight of your mightiness.  We will dispose of him ourselves."

            Baron Von Stupor stared at him for a moment until he finally said, "This is Amiens, France… isn't it?  This is not Amiens, France… is it?"

            Von Stupor shook his head and Pious said "Oh crap." prior to teleporting away quickly.

            Majora got up with a jump and bellowed, "_What the hell are you doing here?!_"

            "Majora…  This… is God…" Von Stupor boomed.

            "_No!  You cannot be God, you are a mere boy!_"  Majora cried in disbelief.

            "I am a young adult, thank you very much, and you are halfway correct, backstabbing backstabber of backstabbers," he replied in his normal voice.  "For I _am_ God… in my dreams."

            "_What???_"

            "You see, I can be a very forgiving person.  However, that does not mean that your bad deeds shall not go unpunished."

"_I fail to understand._"

            "I contemplated calling our deal off, but I would rather keep your protection around, what with the magical powers and whatnot.  However, I am still rather angry with you and your intentions.  Therefore, I have concocted a punishment for you.  I have fortunately been knocked out cold.  I used that opportunity to have a dream, because I knew that with you being stuck in my mind whilst I am out, you would be hopelessly sucked into it.  Now that you have finally listened to my mind's inhabitants and looked to Me for your answers, your punishment may now commence."

            "_What is my punishment?_"

            Von Stupor shrunk down to his normal size and floated onto the cliff.

            "You shall be tortured in the most agonizing way imaginable," he said, chuckling.

            "_You fool!_" Majora shouted in his face.  "_Do you truly believe that you can defeat an immortal entity such as myself?!_"

            "You just don't understand, do you?  Once I am asleep, you're in my world, and once you're in my world, _you officially become my bitch._"

            "_Have at thee!!!_"

            "_Indeed!!!_"

            Majora leapt back and used his dark magic to form a pair of cursed katars.  Von Stupor used his godly powers to create a pair of toilet seats.

            The two then charged each other.  The katars and toilet seats interlocked and Von Stupor and Majora stood face to face.  Majora went for a cheap kick to Von Stupor's genitals, but Von Stupor twisted his lower section and caught Majora's leg in between Von Stupor's legs.  Majora loosed a dark electrical surge that sent Von Stupor's body into a minor seizure.  He recovered quickly and dropped his toilet seats.

            Von Stupor reached into his cope and pulled out a car antenna.  Majora transformed his katars into a cursed rapier.  Back and forth they fenced, both aggressive and defensive at times.  Majora foolishly tried to lunge at Von Stupor, but he parried and slapped Majora across the face with the antenna tip.  The blow spun Majora around and he fell to his knees.

            Majora wiped the spit from his chin and transformed his rapier into a cursed broad axe.  Von Stupor tossed away the antenna and a push broom flew from nowhere into his hands.  Majora merely jabbed the axe at Von Stupor and the broom broke, throwing Von Stupor back, ultimately landing on his rear.

            "You cheated!" shouted Von Stupor, and threw the broom handle at Majora. The handle hit him in the legs, which gave Von Stupor enough time to pull out his trademark weapon, his flyswatter.  Majora transformed his axe into his trademark cursed whip and immediately began an assault from afar.

            Von Stupor dodged the whip as it lashed to and fro.  Eventually, Von Stupor wormed his way up close, and Majora made an attempt to bludgeon him with the handle of the whip.  It was an upward strike, aimed for Von Stupor's throat, but Von Stupor caught it using both hands.  Majora then received a swift knee to his stomach.  He crumpled over and was then assaulted by an enormous combo of flyswatter strikes to his face.

            Majora, now horribly furious, changed his weapon to a cursed broadsword.  Von Stupor took off his cope and gripped it in both hands.

            Majora charged at Von Stupor and swung the sword down vertically, but Von Stupor rolled out of the way and clobbered him in the side of his head with his cope.  The blow stunned Majora for a moment, giving Von Stupor enough time to build his strength and slam the cope down upon Majora back and neck.  Majora fell to his knees and sat there for a moment.  He then wobbled to his feet, exhausted.  Von Stupor then fired the cope at him and it ensnared him, constricting his body.  It locked his arms and legs together, rendering him immobile.  Despite his writhing, he couldn't get it off.

            Von Stupor walked to him and said, "Now that I have you right where I desire you to be, your punishment may now commence."

            Von Stupor got on the ground and got Majora into a headlock.  He then proceeded with rapping on Majora's head rapidly with his knuckles.

            "_Get off!_" shouted Majora, squirming.  The rapping was more irritating than painful.

            Majora could feel his anger rising.  Despite his yells and threats, Von Stupor continued to rap on his head.  Majora couldn't use any of his magic due to the constant rapping that clouded his concentration.

            This went for about five straight minutes, and Majora finally got to his breaking point.

            In a cry of despair, Majora howled, "_Mercy!!!_"

            Just then, Von Stupor awoke in his bed.

            "Life can be sweet," he said with a grin.  "but dreams can be oh, so sweeter."

            _You can be a cruel person… if given the chance_, he heard Majora say to him in his mind.

            "Ha, ha, ha…  Thank you," he replied, and drifted back to sleep.


	13. A Friendly Match against the Masked Duel...

"A Friendly Match against the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

            _Von Stupor… say… I think that… for you… awake… afraid to… hard…_

            Baron Von Stupor heard these words as he awoke.  He opened his eyes to see Téa standing over him.

            "Téa?" he said, confused.

            She cried out in shock and shot backward, tripping over a stool and nearly falling.

            "What… what are you doing?" he asked, now very puzzled.

            "I… um, I… oh…" she sputtered.  Her face turned a bright crimson and she ran out of the room.

            "Well, then," he said to himself.  "That was quite an odd surprise."

            He sat up and looked around.  He was in a small bedroom, probably a guest room.  He was sitting in a bed that had a table next to it.  Two stools lined the opposite wall.  He marched out of the room and followed a hall to a stairwell.  Along the way, he saw a room with Bakura resting in its bed

            _Interesting,_ he thought.  _His Millennium Ring does not slumber with him…_

            He passed another room with Odion as its resident.  _Poor man…  His loyalty is truer than no other, but his alignment was not.  Torn between what is right and what is best.  'Tis a shame, indeed._

            He passed one final room before he reached the stairs.  In it laid Marik. Surprised at this, Von Stupor stepped into the room and wandered to Marik's side.

            "His mind has been banished to the Shadow Realm…" he solemnly said to himself.

            "Not quite," said a voice from behind him.

            Von Stupor turned to see Yugi, though his voice sounded much deeper.

            "Yugi, have you just now reached puberty?" he asked. "Your voice—"

            "No," replied Yugi.  "We haven't been properly introduced.  Call me Yami.  I am the spirit of Yugi's Millennium Puzzle.  I function quite like Majora does with your mask."

            Von Stupor nodded.

            "Anyway," he continued.  "Marik has two different minds.  He has his own, and another, completely corrupted by evil.  Since his corrupted mind was out when you defeated him, it was the evil inside him that was sent to the Shadow Realm.  He is not lifeless, but it may take some time for his original mind to return and recover."

            "Why does your hair stick up?"

            "What?"

            "The yellow scraggly parts of your hair… they're sticking up.  Why?"

            "I… don't know.  Anyway, I came to check on you.  Fortunately, you're awake."

            "Why is that?"

            "We've arrived at KaibaCorp Island, and the semifinals will begin in just a few minutes."

            "Ah, and if I could not show, I would be eliminated?"

            "Yes, exactly."

            "Very well, then.  Let us depart!"

            Von Stupor followed Yugi back through the hall to a different stairwell, where they exited the blimp.  They continued to walk across jagged terrain to a torn down building.  Above its main entrance, Von Stupor could make out the word "Karp".  Inside the building's lobby, Joey, Tristan, Téa, Serenity, Duke, Kaiba, and the duel referee awaited them.

            "Your building welcomes carp, Kaiba.  Why is this?" inquired Von Stupor.

            "What are you talking about?" he asked back, quickly.

            "Above your door is a sign that says—"

            "That's KaibaCorp, you dolt.  The letters have fallen off."

            "If they have fallen off, though, then it is not KaibaCorp, it is Karp."

            "It's _KaibaCorp,_" Kaiba said, gritting his teeth.  "The letters need to be replaced."

            "But then it is still—"

            "The semifinals will begin here!!!  Each pair of duelists will enter one of these two doors.  Only the duelists and the referee are allowed, everyone else must stay out."

            What? Why?" asked Tristan, a bit surprised.

            "A true duelist should be able to duel and win without outside support.  If you can't take care of yourself in a duel without relying on someone else, then you don't belong here."

            The referee then spoke.

            "It is time for the semifinal round of the Battle City tournament.  This round will consist of two matches.  The duelists randomly selected for the first match are Baron Von Stupor and Joey Wheeler."

            "I saw that coming," Joey said nervously.  "I'll have you know Von, I'll be dueling with a new deck, so I won't be using some of the same tricks you've already seen!  Heh, heh."

            "Be careful, Joey, for many of my tricks are ones you've yet to see as well."

            "Well then, let's get this party started, huh?"

            "Ha, ha."

            The two duelists stepped into one of the two large doors and into a large room.  It had one large dueling platform made in a style similar to the ones used in Duelist Kingdom.  The referee stepped into the room and the door shut behind him.

            "Who do you guys think will win?" Duke asked the group.

            "Well, building a new deck so quickly can give Joey a serious disadvantage.  If he built his deck well, though, then he'll be able to surprise Von Stupor, since he won't be expecting certain things," Yami contemplated.

            "I don't care what the odds are, I'll always stay by my big brother's side," answered Serenity.

            "Well, I'm gonna have to stick with Von Stupor on this one.  Unless Joey has a god card (which of course, he doesn't), Von Stupor's Relinquished can just suck up whatever he throws at him," Tristan commented.

            "That's a good point," mentioned Yami.

            Meanwhile, preparations for Von Stupor's duel against Joey were completed.

            "Von, I'm gonna tell you right now that I ain't gonna hold back!" Joey announced.

            "Excellent, most excellent.  As shall I."

            "Let's duel!!!" they cried in unison, and drew five cards each.

            "I'll start by setting three M/T cards," Von Stupor declared.  "Next, I'll play the Field Magic card, 'Mystic Plasma Zone' and end my turn!  Now, I'll set one monster and end my turn!"

            "Alright, I'll summon the Goblin Attack Force and attack your set monster!" Joey countered.

            His Goblin Attack Force rushed Von Stupor's set monster.  The monster was revealed to be Sangan, and was brutally beaten before it was destroyed.

            "Why do you attack so early?  Once your monster attacks, it goes into defense position and cannot change that position during your next turn," Von Stupor commented.

            "Oh, you'll see… on my next turn, heh heh.  Your turn."

            With Sangan's effect activated, Von Stupor fetched a monster from his deck with an attack of 1500 or less and drew a card.

            "Blast!  I fear I have no options save skipping my turn," he muttered.

            "Well that's good for me, 'cause now I can summon Freed the Matchless General by offering my Goblin Attack Force as a tribute!"

            The goblins sank into the card beneath them, and out leapt Freed, clothed in armor.

            "Now, Freed!" Joey commanded.  "Attack his Life Points directly!"

            Freed gave von Stupor a fierce slash with his sword and Von Stupor's Life points sank to 5700.

            "Hm.  Your ass up M/T card troubles me; therefore I shall play 'Harpie's Feather Duster' and send it straight to the Graveyard!"

            An enormous feather appeared before Von Stupor and blew away Joey's trap card, 'Torrential Tribute'.

            "My magic card has served me well.  I set one monster and begin to end my turn.  However, I stop abruptly, contemplating whether my actions were correct.  Then, assured that my plan was properly executed, I successfully end my turn."

            "Uh, right.  Here's a trick I've been dying to pull!  First, I'll activate Freed's special effect, which allows me to pick one Warrior-type monster from my deck and add to my hand instead of drawing during my draw Phase!  Now I'll summon that monster, Exiled Force, and activate _his_ effect, too!  By offering him as a tribute, I can destroy one monster on your side of the field!"

            "No!" Von Stupor cried as Joey's Exiled Force grabbed his face down Second Goblin and drug it to the grave.

            "That's right!  Now I'm free to attack your Life Points directly again!"

            "Not if I activate 'Call of the Haunted'!"

            "Yeah, but that'll only bring your Sangan back in face up attack position!"

            "Who said I was protecting my Life points this time?"

            "Huh?"

            "By bringing back my Sangan, I can utilize its effect once more!"

            Freed, instead of attacking Von Stupor directly, gave a chop to the newly reborn Sangan, and it was destroyed just as fast as it had came.

            "Now I may play 'Black Illusion Ritual', and sacrifice the monster I just drew from my deck to summon Relinquished!"  Von Stupor declared.

            "Oh, no!  I didn't count on him coming that fast!"

            "Come to me, Freed…"

            Relinquished sucked Freed into its torso and closed its shoulder flaps.  Freed's face appeared outside the flaps.

            "Now I attack _you_ directly, and thanks to the 'Mystic Plasma Zone' I played earlier, Relinquished's attack raises by 500 to a grand total of 2800!"

            Energy surged throughout Freed's face and Relinquished shot a blast from its eye, hitting Joey and sending his Life Points down to 5200.

            "Damn…  How am I gonna get rid of that thing?" Joey muttered to himself as he drew.  Seeing his next card, his eyes lit up.  "All right!  I set this monster and this M/T and I end my turn!"

            "I order my Relinquished to attack your set monster!"

            "Hah!  I activate 'Magical Cylinder'!"

            Relinquished's blast soared into a vividly colored cylindrical tube.

            "My own trick…" Von Stupor said.  "'Tis not so easily used against me!  I pay 1000 Life points to activate 'Seven Tools of the Bandit'!"  It negates the effect of your trap card and destroys it!  Simply put, I take 1800 less damage and my attack still follows through!"

            The second tube, rather than appearing next to Von Stupor, reappeared aiming at Joey's set monster.  It was a Witch of the Black Forest, and was easily blown apart.

            "Ah, an excellent move, that is," Von Stupor admired.  "The whole time the card was expendable…"

            "That's right!  …Either way, you would have taken damage, and I'm sure you know your witch's effect!  Once it's in the Graveyard, I can pull a monster with a defense of 1500 or less from my deck and put it in my hand!  Now I draw!"

            Joey thrust his arms in the air in triumph.  "Yeah!  I just draw the perfect card!  My timing couldn't be any better!  Say bye-bye to Relinquished, Von, 'cause I'm playing 'Raigeki'!"

            A lightning bolt shot down from the ceiling and struck Relinquished.  A magnificent explosion commenced, and nothing remained afterward.  Von Stupor grunted in disapproval.

            "Now I summon the Gemini Elf I got from my Witch of the Black Forest and attack you directly!"

            The two elves chanted a spell and a burst of light energy shot from their palms, striking Von Stupor in his chest and dropping his Life points to 1500.

"Had enough?" Joey asked cockily.

            Von Stupor laughed heartily.  "You're certainly giving me a run for my money, but I fear I am not out of this picture yet.  As long as I have Life Points, I'm still in the game.  For my next move, I shall play 'Fissure', which destroys your face up monster with the lowest attack, and since your Gemini Elf is the only monster…"

            The floor cracked open and the Gemini Elf fell in prior to its resealing.

            "Well, that was fast.  It doesn't matter though.  I'll summon another Goblin Attack Force, and since your Life Points are only at 1500, I can attack you directly and win this duel!" announced Joey.

            The Goblin Attack Force proceeded to rush Von Stupor, but stopped when a large gate appeared before them.  They curiously began to walk through it, but were destroyed by an electrical pulse that emanated from it.

            "What?!  What happened to my monster???" asked a very puzzled Joey.

            "Joey, you have not learned yet?  I cannot go down so easily!  I have activated 'Skull Lair'!  By removing a number of monsters in my Graveyard from play that match the level on one your monster's star levels, I can destroy that respective monster!"

            "Damn!  Fine, your turn."

            "I summon my Second Goblin and end my turn."

            "Hmmm, now I'll summon Gearfried the Iron Knight—"

            "…Whom I shall destroy with 'Skull Lair'!"

            "You mean he doesn't have to attack to be destroyed?!"

            "Any monster within the vicinity of my Skull Lair that is not chosen to pass through can be destroyed at any time!  Now I shall further protect myself by switching my Second Goblin to defense mode and equipping it with 'Heart of Clear Water'!"

            "What?  What does that card do?"

            "Any monster that is equipped with this card cannot be destroyed as a result of battle or by the effect of a Magic, Trap, or Monster card that specifically designates a target!"

            A water drop with a grimacing face dripped out of the ceiling and hit the goblin's head and it began to glow a bright gold color.

            "Von's getting too advantageous, so maybe I can screw him up with this…" muttered Joey to himself.  "I'll play 'Card Destruction'!"

            _Now I must discard the cards in my hand and draw the same number of cards sent to the Graveyard from my deck,_ Von Stupor thought to himself.  _Not a preferable occurrence, but it may give me the card I'm looking for…_

            "All right!" Joey cheered as he looked at his new hand.  "I was getting tired of your Skull Lair, so now I'll blow it away with 'Mystical Space Typhoon'!"

            The typhoon blew, and the Skull Lair crumbled under the howling winds.

            "Now I'll summon another 'Gearfried the Iron knight', and since attacking your Second Goblin is useless now, I'll end my turn."

            "Fine," said Von Stupor, who then chuckled when he saw his next card.  "It makes no matter.  I just drew the card I had been waiting for…  I shall now play the Magic card 'Metamorphosis'!  This card allows me to tribute one monster to Special Summon another from my fusion deck whose level matches that of my tribute!"

            "What can you possibly summon using a monster with only one star?"

            "Why, I can summon the fusion of Relinquished and Thousand-Eyes Idol!  Come forth, my wonderfully hideous (but slightly colorful) creature!"

            The Second Goblin slowly grew and metamorphosed into the Thousand-Eyes Restrict.

            "_Crap!_  If I had known that, I would have used my… wait a minute…"

            "…Not only does my Thousand-Eyes Restrict possess the effect of Relinquished, but as long as it is face up on the field, no other monster may attack or change their position!  Come to me, Gearfried!"

            The Thousand-Eyes Restrict absorbed Gearfried the Iron Knight, but there were no flaps to close around it, so it simply grew in size.

            "It is useless for Thousand-Eyes Restrict to defend himself when no other monster can attack," Von Stupor explained.  "Now, my Thousand-Eyes Restrict, attack his Life Points directly!"

            Von Stupor then began giggling and dancing around.  "I've been waiting for so long to get him out!"  He was then surprised, however, to see Thousand-Eyes Restrict's eye beam ricochet harmlessly off of Joey.

            "Surprised?  Don't be," he scoffed.  "You see, I activated my 'Imperial Order' Trap card!  It negates the effects of all face-up Magic cards, and if I'm not mistaken, my monster is equipped to yours… just like a regular old Equip Magic card."

            Von Stupor stared in confusion for a moment and began to applaud.

            "Kudos, Joey!!!" Von Stupor complimented.  "By far the best comeback I have witnessed in many a duel!  You have stopped me dead in my tracks!"

            "Thanks, and since your monster has zero attack again and no other monster may attack, it looks like we have ourselves a nice lock.  Now, 'Imperial Order' lets me keep it on the field as long as I pay 700 Life Points during each Standby Phase, so I do just that and end my turn."

            "Bah!  I pass this turn."

            "I won't be needing Imperial Order anymore, so I'll just send it to the Graveyard and summon a Giant Orc.  That ends my turn."

            "Horrific mistake, my dear friend.  'Imperial Order's' absence allows me to play my Magic card, 'Black Illusion Ritual'."

            "_What?!_  You have _two_ Relinquished?!"

            Chuckling, Von Stupor said, "This is a secret I have kept from you all specifically for a moment like this.  I actually have _three_ Relinquished in my deck.  Now, you cannot be angry, for I have not provided false information; where I have referred to my Relinquished as plural, you have interpreted my Relinquished as singular."

            Joey shook his finger at Von Stupor and said with a sly grin on his face, "You…  You dirty bastard…  You have _definitely_ got a way with people's minds…"

            "As they say, Joey: 'You jus' been played, biatch.'  I sacrifice my Thousand-Eyes Restrict to Ritual Summon Relinquished and absorb your Giant Orc!"

            Relinquished tried its hardest to inhale the Giant Orc, but to no avail.  Its girth kept it from moving.  Relinquished, now desperate, charged at the orc and slammed its torso into it, forcing the orc inside.  Its shoulder flaps closed and the orc's face appeared on its right flap.

            "That's okay, even if you attack, I got one more turn to make things right.  Just gotta trust my cards…"

            "I am sorry, Joey, but a Ritual Summon counts as a Special Summon, so now I may also summon Senju of the Thousand Hands and attack you directly with both.  Thank you Domino, good-night."

            Relinquished and Senju's combined strength sent Joey's Life points to 0 and he slammed his hands on the playing field.

            "Damn…" he muttered.  "Good match, Von."

            "The winner of this duel is Baron Von Stupor," announced the referee, and the door to the lobby opened.

            Von Stupor and Joey were greeted by the others.

            "You always have one more thing up your sleeve, don't you?" Tristan said to Von Stupor.

            "Huh?  How'd you guys know that?" Joey asked.

            "We saw the whole duel on the monitors here.  They're linked to either room.  Kaiba says that even though we can't offer any support, we can still spectate," Yugi informed the two.

            "I see," Von Stupor acknowledged.  Well, while we are all friends, we cannot forget that this is still a competition, and you know what they say: 'save the best tricks for last'."

            "I can respect that strategy."

            "It's time, Yugi," Kaiba ordered.  "It's time for me to claim your ancient Egyptian god card!"

            Transforming into Yami, he said, "We shall see, Kaiba.  We shall see."

            Yami and Kaiba stepped into the room opposite Von Stupor and Joey, and the referee followed close behind.

            "My bladder is quite full," whispered Von Stupor to Duke.  Wouldst thou please direct me to the nearest lavatory?"

            Stepping away from him a bit, Duke replied, "Uh… there's one in the far back on the second floor of Kaiba's blimp…"

            "Sweet Nayru, it beckons to me!" he shouted and ran off.

            "Weirdo," Duke whispered as he ran away.

            Upon arrival to the second floor of the blimp, Von Stupor heard Téa down the hall, talking to an unfamiliar voice.

            "Well, I suppose the only way you can expect something to happen is to tell him," said the voice.

            "It's really hard to get out, though… especially to him." replied Téa.

            "Trust me, it always is, but once you get started, the words should just flow out."  Think of it as if you were turning on a really tight faucet."

            "But I'm afraid of what he might say…"

            "The water faucet has no label, so you're afraid of whether the faucet will spout warm or cool water.  There is a way to find out, but only one way."

            "…You're right, Bakura.  Thanks, you always know what to say."

            "I'm always happy to help, Téa."

            "Bakura?"  Von Stupor said, stepping into the room.  "I thought you to act more evilly…  Your accent could use a touch up as well."

            "Accent?" he said, confused.

            Téa looked at Von Stupor, frozen in shock, her face a deep red.  She began to sweat profusely.

            "Hm?" said Von Stupor, noticing Téa.  "Oh, do not fear, Miss of Gardner, your secret is safe with me."

            "Wh… what?" she sputtered.

            "I shall not tell him.  Do not fear."

            "T-tell who?"

            "Oh, ho!  Surely you jest!  I can see that my tactics are rubbing off on you!"

            "Uh…  I…"

            "Oh, you must be in a state of shock.  After all, I would be too, if someone walked in whilst I were spilling my guts about another.  Here now, Yugi and Kaiba's match has begun.  Go watch and recover from this occurrence."

            "O… kay…"

            She then walked quickly out of the room.

            "Yugi is a lucky boy," he said to Bakura, who had been watching the whole time.  "I figured Téa would fall for him in time.  I could tell she was growing emotion for him simply by the look in her eyes.  However, one must ask oneself who she truly loves, Yugi or Yami?"

            "Um, I don't quite think that that is what she was—"

            "_Oh!_  My bladder strikes!  Forgive my rudeness, but I must depart!" Von Stupor cried, running out of the room.


	14. The Final Round with the Masked Duelist

"The Final Round with the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

            The clash between Yugi and Kaiba had finally ended.  It was truly a spectacle, a near tie.  However, in the end, Yugi emerged victorious over Kaiba.

            The door opened and Kaiba stormed out, furious.

            "It's still Karp," Von Stupor said as Kaiba walked toward him.

            "Get out of my way," Kaiba snapped at him and pushed him over in an effort to get to the exit.

            "…And I think you have some Styrofoam in your hair!" Von Stupor called, not bothering to get back up.  "It's right on top of your head!"

            Kaiba ignored Von Stupor and stomped out of the building.

            "Talk about a sore loser," commented Joey, sneering at him.  He turned to Von Stupor and said, "So Von…  You gonna get back up?"

            "This building…  It is rotted, old, dank, cluttered, cold, dark, damp, and home to a mellow aroma that fills my nostrils with slight surprise, but this floor…  'Tis the most comfortable hard floor I had ever rested my buttocks upon!" he replied.

            "It is time for the final round of the Battle City tournament," the referee announced.  "The next match will be Yugi Mutou versus Baron Von Stupor."

            Von Stupor looked over to Yugi to see him shift from Yami into regular Yami.

            "Well," he said.  "I'm ready.  Are you, Von Stupor?"

            "You… you return to your former self?" he wondered in reply.

            "Well, I figured that we could enjoy this duel as friends…"

            "Please, Yugi, do not do this to me.  This is a competition, and you have worked hard to reach this level.  I also entered this tournament to face many challenges, and here I have arrived in the final round, ready to face my greatest adversary… and you decide not to come at me with your greatest skill?"

            "Well, I…  I don't want this duel to endanger our friendship…"

            "Have no fear, Yugi.  No matter what the outcome of this duel may be, we shall remain friends.  I can understand your fear, but it is no reason to deny me a challenge.  Do not face me as the Yugi Mutou we all know and love; face me as Yugi Mutou, king of Games!"

            "I think he's right, Yugi," chimed Joey.  "You didn't hold out on me in Duelist Kingdom, so I don't think there's any reason why you should hold out on Von."

            "It is time for the final round," said the referee impatiently.

            Yugi looked at the referee, then back at Von Stupor and said, "You guys are right.  Are you sure this is what you want, Von Stupor?"

            "Do not show any less than your best."

            "Alright, then," he said and shifted into Yami.  "Let's duel."

            Yami and friends followed Von Stupor and the referee up many flights of stairs as the elevator no longer functioned correctly.

            Eventually, they came out onto the roof of the building.

            "This is where the final match of the finals will be held.  As you can see, a dueling platform has already been prepared for you.  This match will consist of a single duel.  You may now begin."

            After viewing his hand, Von Stupor made the first move.

            "I'll set two M/T, one monster, and play a particularly favorite card of mine, 'Wave motion Cannon'!" he declared.

            _A 'Wave Motion Cannon'?_ Yami wondered to himself.

            "This is a very special card.  I can send it to the Graveyard during my Main Phase to inflict an astounding _zero_ points of damage to your Life Points!"

            "Um… very well, then…"

            A large golden cannon popped up from the floor.  It had intricate designs carved all over it.

            "No!  I choose to leave it alone and end my turn!"

            "Alright, then I shall set one M/T as well as this monster and end my turn."

            Immediately after Von Stupor drew his next card, a light appeared within Von Stupor's cannon.  It was a very luminous fluorescent light, with a blue tint.

            "What's happening?" Yami asked.

            "I just drew," replied Von Stupor.

            "No, your cannon unarmed just a moment ago.  Now it appears to be charging up."

            "Ah, yes.  With time, my cannon is ever charging, and gains power with every turn of mine.  You'd best destroy it now, as its Direct Damage has increased to 1000!"

            _What?!_ thought Yami to himself.

            _We'll have to destroy that cannon quickly or Von Stupor will gain a monstrous Life Point lead!  If we don't destroy it soon enough, we might even lose the duel to it…_ Yugi said to Yami in his mind.

            _Yes, we must,_ Yami replied.  _If we just trust our cards, we'll be just fine._

            Yami set one M/T and ended his turn.

            "Well, horfen blorfen and a Waddle Doo, I begin my turn!" said Von Stupor rotating himself in circles.  "I'll summon the Giant Orc and end my turn without attacking!"

            A large white orc stepped out of its card.  It held a humongous wooden club and grinned at Yami evilly.

            "By the way, be careful," warned Von Stupor.  "My cannon's strength grows to 2000."

            "I see now," Yami said with a smirk.  "Your cannon's strength will increase by 1000 during each of your Standby Phases, and you can fire it whenever you're good and ready."

            "Smart man, you are."

            "Years of practice, my friend… if you know what I mean.  I'll set one monster and end my turn."

            Once Von Stupor drew, the cannon began to shake from the raw power it contained.

            "I shall summon my Second Goblin and activate his special effect!" announced Von Stupor.

            The Second Goblin appeared and high-fived the Giant Orc.  The force from the orc's hand sent the puny imp sprawling, but he quickly returned to the orc's side.

            "This is an interesting move," Yami observed.

            "Giant Orc, attack his set monster!"

            The monster revealed was the Witch of the Black Forest, which promptly had its brains bashed out.  Due to the force the orc put into its swing, it stumbled clumsily and ultimately fell over, its head hitting the ground.  The beast was instantly knocked out cold.

            "Now you monster is in defense position and you cannot change it during your next turn, which gives me plenty of time to destroy it," commented Yami.

            "Oh, ho!  I think not, my yellow-scraggly-part-stick-uppy haired friend!  Indeed, the Giant Orc's strength is all in his arms.  And indeed, he cannot control that strength.  When he swings his mighty club, his girth causes him to helplessly fall over, leaving him _very_ vulnerable to attack.  After all, everywhere else, he bruises like a peach.  However, with his buddy, the Second Goblin, he becomes a very mighty four star monster!"

            The Second Goblin reached into its bag and pulled out a rare hunter's cloak.  The goblin waved it in front of the orc's nose and the orc got up with a jump and was in attack position.

            "Now, we all know that the Second Goblin is a highly sub par monster, with only 100 attack and defense.  However, when he is at my Giant Orc's aid, he cannot attack, in exchange for being under the orc's protection, preventing him from being attacked himself.  Simply put, as long as my monsters are in union, my Giant Orc may change its battle position once per turn, _regardless of its effect!_"

            "That is a very good move, Von Stupor!  Now I shall pull a monster with a defense of 1500 or less from my deck and place it in my hand.  I hate to cut your joy so short, but it is time for your cannon to depart!  I shall activate 'Mystical Space Typhoon' and blow your cannon away!"

            "Halt, for I counter with 'Magic Jammer', my Counter Trap card!  I shall discard one card from my hand to do so!"

            The Mystical Space Typhoon whirled out of its card, aimed for the Wave Motion Cannon, but was cut short when 'Magic Jammer' was activated.  The dark tornado slowed to a halt, then dissipated with the card into nothing.

            "Oh, no!" cried Yami.  "Now it can only get stronger!  I'll set this monster and end my turn…"

            "Indeed, and to be frank, I am not willing to risk it staying out another turn!  As part of my Main Phase, I shall fire my Wave Motion Cannon inflicting 4000 points of damage to your Life points!"

            The cannon now had blue energy swirling all about it as it shook back and forth.  It launched an awesome charge of energy that up, down, and all around the field until finally striking Yami, cutting his Life Points right in half with a mighty explosion.  Everyone looked in shock.

            Yami gaped in disbelief.

            "Come now, Yami…" Von Stupor encouraged him.  "You can still come back!"

            Yami regained his stature and calmly said, "Continue your turn."

            "Your game face…  I am pleased.  Giant Orc, attack his second set monster!"

            The Giant Orc destroyed the face down 'Sinister Serpent' and once again, collapsed.  Von Stupor then used the Second Goblin to put him back into attack position.

            "Von Stupor, you're faring very well against me so far, but don't count me out of the game yet— I still have some tricks up my sleeve.  I'll set one monster and two M/T cards.  Your turn."

            "Next, I shall use my Giant Orc to attack your set monster!"

            "Thank you!  Now I may activate 'Magic Cylinder'!"

            "Wait!  I counter with… um…" Von Stupor said, frantically looking at his face down cards.  "Um, I de-spell that?"

            "Ha, ha, I'm afraid that won't work."

            The orc lunged at the card, but wound up flying into a cylinder in front of it.  It then rolled out of a cylinder aimed at Von Stupor, flattening his Life points to 5800.  The orc shook his head and got back into attack position.

            "Ha, ha…  That caught me off guard.  I suppose that en-diddly ends my turn," he stated.

            "I must admit, if you expect to win duel, you should learn to be more serious about it.  I draw and end my turn."

            "That is where you are mistaken, my holographic at times and other times not-so-holographic at all friend!  In all of my duels, I have never tried less than my hardest.  One must earn their victory from me.  I'll end my turn without attacking.  Who knows what else you may have in your sleeve."

            "I'll draw and… _oh!_" Yami gasped in surprise.

            _I can't use this on Von Stupor…  It's too powerful,_ he thought.

            "Yami!" Von Stupor called.  "I know that look that dresses your face.  'Tis a look of hesitance, it is.  Let me tell you something, Mr. Pharaoh, I specifically said for you to give me your all, and I expect it.  I am much honored to be able to duel you, but do not make me regret it simply because you did not do your best."

            "But—"

            "No!  If it will help you win this game, then by Din, do it!!!"

            "…You're absolutely certainly about this?"

            "Beyond the shadow of a doubt."

            "Very well, then.  You chose not to attack me, and that shall cost you dearly, for I activate 'Change of Heart' on your set monster!"

            Von Stupor's face down card floated over to Yami's side of the field.

            "Yes, yes…" Von Stupor said to himself eagerly.

            "Now," he continued.  "I'll sacrifice these three monsters to summon the ancient Egyptian god, Slifer the Sky Dragon!!!"

            "_What?!  No!  No!!!_"  shrieked Von Stupor.  He then whimpered, "To be quite frank, Yami, I was expecting a Dark Magician, or even a dark Paladin, but not… him."

            "I'm sorry you miscalculated my actions, Von Stupor, but it's too late to back down now.  Besides, this is what you wanted," Yami informed him.

            "Yes, I suppose," he agreed.  "I was asking for it.  Go ahead, my friend!  _Do it!_"

            The skies darkened and thunder cracked throughout the clouds as Slifer himself hovered out of the portal.

            "Now, Slifer!  Attack his Life Points directly!"

            The great dragon simply growled at Von Stupor and refused to move.

            "Baron Von Stupor, Slifer is _my_ monster," Yami stated blankly.

            "Well, I thought I would at least try…" admitted Von Stupor sadly.

            Slifer began charging a ball of energy within its mouth.

            "Slifer's attack is equal to the number of cards in my hand multiplied by 1000," explained Yami.  "Meaning that since I have five cards in my hand, Slifer's attack is equal to 5000!"

            Slifer's burst stream engulfed both the Giant Orc and Second Goblin and everything became too bright to see anything.  After a moment, when everything was clear again, nothing remained of Von Stupor's monsters.  Von Stupor looked down at his Life points display to see his Life points plummet to 3000.

            "Sweet, merciful Xel'lotath…" Von Stupor muttered to himself, drawing.  _How can I get out of this predicament?_ he thought.  _…Ha, ha, ha…  'Tis a long shot, but it's all I can do._  "I'll set this monster, and—"

            "Wait!  That activates Slifer's second effect, his second mouth!  If you summon or set a monster, Slifer automatically attacks it with 2000 points of damage, but no battle damage is dealt to either player's Life Points."

            "Ha, ha, that is all I need him to do!"

            "You realize that god cards cannot be destroyed by the effects of a Magic, Trap, or Monster card effect, correct?"

            Von Stupor chuckled as the energy attack struck his set monster.  The monster was revealed to be a Wall of Illusion.

            "A Wall of Illusion?!" cried Yami.

            "A Wall of Illusion!  Any monster that attacks it is not destroyed per say, but is sent back to its owner's hand!"

            "Is that possible?"

            "Let us find out."

            The Wall of Illusion stared at Slifer, its eyes glowing and wide.  The shot hit it and the wall disintegrated in the stream of raw energy.  After a short while, Slifer glowed a bright white color and shot like electricity into Yami's hand.

            Confounded, Yami sputtered, "Um… good move?"

            "Thank you manies," Von Stupor replied happily.  "I have no more moves, so I shall end my turn."

            "Then I shall set one monster, ending my turn."

            "I set one monster and end my turn."

            "I set one monster along with an M/T card.  Your turn."

            "I'll sacrifice my set monster to tribute set another. And conclude my alternation."

            "Building up your defenses?"

            "For now."

            "Hm.  I shall play 'Graceful Charity', which allows me to draw three cards from my deck and then discard two from my hand.  Your turn."

            "I pass this turn."

            "Well, I'll set one monster and end my turn."

            "I shall now summon the Dark Blade and attack the monster you have just set!"

            _My main priority is preventing him from getting three monsters on the field…_ thought Von Stupor.

            The Dark Blade was a knight in shining black armor.  It wielded a large, one-handed blade.  It swiftly slashed Yami's face down card, revealing the Sinister Serpent.

            "As long as this card exists in my Graveyard, it returns to my hand during my Standby Phase," he commented.  "And now, I'll play 'Swords of Revealing Light', which prevents your monsters from attacking for three whole turns!"

            "…Nutbunnies."

            "That's right.  Not only this, but any face down monsters you have are flipped face up immediately."

            "Very well," Von Stupor said as a thick stone wall rose out of the floor, blocking view of Baron Von Stupor.  "Meet my Labyrinth Wall, ha ha!  Its superior defense can stand up to near any monster's attack!"

            "3000 is an immense amount for defense, I'm impressed.  That ends my turn."

            "I shall set one M/T and end my turn."

            "I'll set one monster and end my turn."

            "I do believe you have too many monsters on the field for comfort.  They must be removed!  Therefore, I shall play 'Mystical Space Typhoon' on your swords of blinding light!"

            The dark tornado swirled out and sucked the swords into its spiraling winds.  The cyclone shot into the air and out of sight.

            "Next I shall summon a Giant Orc and attack your two set monsters with mine!  I cannot allow your monsters to accumulate on the field, as it may return disastrous results…"

            Von Stupor's monsters mauled those of Yami's.  His Kuriboh and Sinister Serpent fell under Von Stupor's mighty forces.  Left with one monster, Yami began his turn.

            "I shall play 'Raigeki'," he announced.  "Now all monsters on your side of the field are destroyed!"

            Lightning shot down from the sky and blew apart Von Stupor's Dark Blade and Giant Orc.  His Labyrinth Wall took some time, but with enough strikes, it crumbled to pieces.  Von Stupor was seen dancing on the other side.

            "I see you!" he called, fluttering his fingers at Yami.

            "It's your move," he replied, ignoring him.

            Von Stupor winced when he drew a Second Goblin, as it was the only card in his hand.

            "I'll set this card and end my turn," he said reluctantly.

            "Baron Von Stupor, this duel has been one of the most exciting duels I've enjoyed in a long time," complimented Yami.  "Sadly enough, though, in the next few turns, it will all be over.  First, I shall tribute my face down monster, Beta the Magnet Warrior, along with Alpha and Gamma the Magnet Warriors from my hand to special summon Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!"

            Beta jumped out of Yami's face down card while Alpha and Gamma leapt from his hand.  They both transformed into body sections and merged together to form the mighty Valkyrion.

            _Excellent,_ thought Von Stupor.  _He shall be wide open once he attacks…  Hmmm, I'm awfully hungry.  Oh!  A hunger pain…  Ugh…_

            "I know you all too well, Von Stupor.  I'll not trust your M/T cards, therefore I shall activate Valkyrion's effect!"

            "What?  His effect?" Von Stupor wondered.

            "Yes, by offering Valkyrion as a tribute, I may special summon Alpha, Beta, and Gamma the Magnet Warriors from my Graveyard in attack position!"

            Von Stupor chuckled for a few moments but then realizing what was going on, he gasped in shock.

            _He's got three monsters on the field!!!_ he thought.  _And… and he has yet to __Normal__ Summon a monster!!!_

            "I take it by your bodily expression that you know what I'm up to.  Yes, now I may offer Alpha, Beta, and Gamma as tributes to summon Slifer the Sky Dragon to the field once more!  In addition, since I have four cards in my hand, Slifer's attack is now equal to 4000!  Slifer, attack his set monster!"

            Slifer charged up its burst stream and incinerated Von Stupor's Second Goblin.  Afterward, Yami ended his turn.

            "There is only one card in my deck that can save me now," Von Stupor said to himself, hesitating before he drew.  "I simply must believe in the liver of the cards, and…"

            He drew and stared at his card in awe.

            "_Huzzah!_" he finally cried out loud.  "Slifer's second effect does not affect special summons, does it?"

            "I… am unsure," Yami replied.

            "Well…  I have nothing more left to lose, so I shall play 'Black Illusion Ritual'!  I sacrifice the Dark Blade from my hand to Ritual Summon Relinquished!"

            The ritual was performed and Relinquished burst from its pot as usual.

            "Now Relinquished, absorb Slifer!!!" commanded Von Stupor.

            Despite Relinquished's best efforts, it could not absorb Slifer.  For a moment, Von Stupor thought he could hear Slifer chuckling pompously.

            "I'm sorry, Von Stupor; Relinquished's effect does not work on god cards," Yami told him.

            "Well!  I suppose Plan B is the course of action to take.  As I reminisce about past conversations concerning god cards, I recall being told that they may be powered up and powered down by Magic, Trap, and Monster card effects, but not destroyed.  Keeping that in mind, I realize that the card I hold in my hand is indeed the gods' bane."

            "I'm sorry, but you do not have the correct number of cards in your hand to even begin to match Slifer's 4000 attack points."

            "Oh, but I do, heh, heh."

            "Then tell me, what is the gods' bane?"

            "Ho, ho, ho, why don't I demonstrate for you instead?  I shall play the Magic card 'Riryoku'!"

            "'Riryoku'?  _Oh, no!!!_  That card drains a selected monster's attack by half and adds it to another!!!"

            "Correct, and I choose to drain Slifer's attack and add it to Relinquished's!  Since their attacks are now equal, at the cost of my Relinquished, I may finish Slifer, _once and for all!  Relinquished, attack Slifer with Absorption Blast attack!!!_"

            Slifer rushed Relinquished and slapped it down with its foot, pinning it to the ground.  Just before Relinquished was destroyed, it launched an energy blast directly into Slifer's first mouth, causing his head to explode.  Both monsters faded into nothing.

            "That was an excellent move, Von Stupor!" Yami complimented him once more.

            "Thank you, he whose hair sports lightning bolts made from the scraggly parts of your hair that stick up!  Now I shall play the Field Magic card 'Mystic Plasma Zone', which will increase all DARK-type monsters' attacks by 500 and end my turn."

            A large typhoon of raw energy began circling overhead, darkening the sky.

            "Von Stupor, I believe you have helped me seal your fate.  First, I'll set one monster.  Now I shall activate 'Ultimate Offering', which allows me to pay 500 Life points per extra Normal Summon or set.  I'll first pay 500 to set a second monster, and then 500 more to tribute my two monsters to summon the Dark Magician!  Thanks to your mystic plasma zone, my Dark Magician gains 500 attack, raising it to 3000, just enough to deplete your Life Points entirely!  Now, my Dark Magician, finish Baron Von Stupor off with your Black Magic attack!!!"

            The Dark Magician raised its staff to attack when a thick flaming necklace appeared around his neck.

            "Yami," said Von Stupor.  "I have fought hard to win this duel, but alas, I shall not win.  I do know that now.  However, if I cannot win, I shall ensure that you do not either."

            "What do you mean?"

            "I have activated my trump card, 'Ring of Destruction'.  This card destroys one monster on the field and inflicts Direct Damage equal to its attack to both duelists' Life Points, resulting in a tie game!"

            "That may be true, but according to official Battle City rules, the duelist who has the most Life Points at the moment before the draw was initiated will be declared the victor."

            Von Stupor began chuckling evilly to himself.

            Puzzled, Yami looked to the referee for the duel results.  He confusedly stepped up and said, "As unpredicted and unprecedented as it is, both duelists' Life Points were exactly equal just before the draw was made, resulting in a draw.  Please hold while I inquire Mr. Kaiba on the victor…"

            The referee stepped down and wandered over to Kaiba, who had inconspicuously returned to watch the duel.  The referee began to whisper to him.

            "I saw the duel, you idiot.  I don't care what happened, just end it.  I'm too disgusted to continue," he muttered back quietly.  He muttered something else that Von Stupor couldn't make out clearly and the referee nodded prior to marching back over to the dueling field.

            "Strangely enough," he said.  "The final match of the Battle City tournament has been officially declared a draw.  This match has no victor; therefore no one shall lose any cards to the other.  You are both declared as the Battle City champions and shall have the prize money divided between the both of you.  Congratulations, Yugi Mutou and Baron Von Stupor, you both have come out above all other duelists.  This shall now conclude the Battle City tournament.  Meet back in the blimp in twenty minutes for departure toward Battle City."

            The referee and Kaiba promptly headed back downstairs.

            "That… was a very unexpected result," said Tristan.

            "Man, I would've sworn that Yugi had the match won, but Von had to drag him down with him!" Joey said, surprise lingering in his voice.

            "If you guys don't mind, I would like to speak with Von Stupor in private," said Yami to the others.

            "Sure thing, Yug, I'll just be down in the blimp with the others."

            With that, everyone left downstairs, leaving Yami and Von Stupor alone.

            "Von Stupor, what you have done just now is something that none has ever done in millennia; though I didn't exactly lose this game, you successfully prevented me from winning it when I was at the top of my game.  You even managed to stand tall against a god card, the mightiest opponent of all, and for all this, I must personally congratulate you," he conceded.

            "It is an honor enough to know that my skills are on par with even the King of Games, it is.  Though, all I have done was in hopes that I would find at least a lead towards what truly happened to Maximillion Pegasus."

            "I see.  You have very noble intentions.  Though I wish I could do more, all I can offer is my advice.  One known as bandit Keith held a great grudge against Pegasus for humiliating him in a national American Duel Monsters tournament."

            "Ah, I saw that match.  'Twas very entertaining.  I knew not that he retained ill will towards Pegasus, though.  Thank you very much."

            "Not a problem," Yami said beginning to walk toward the stairwell.  Von Stupor followed close behind.  "Suppose someone did do something to Pegasus.  What will you do once you find them?"

            "I am unsure, to tell the truth.  If someone has done something to Pegasus and I manage to track them down, I may enter an unholy rage.  Anything that occurs during that rage may suffice.  I may allow Majora to come out, even."

            "Do you really believe that is the right thing to do?"

            "No, probably not.  However, 'tis inevitable.  I shall continue my search for answers until I find them.  Next, if someone has done something to him and I find that person, I will not retain any common sense and quite possibly enter a blind rage.  I will not control my actions from there.  'Tis definitely unavoidable.  This is just a theory, though.  I cannot give an answer until it happens."

            "I see.  Why haven't you simply tried to visit Pegasus?"

            "Pegasus's employees operate the boats that go to and from Duelist Kingdom, so there is no way there with no way to contact him save through e-mail, which mind you, he has not responded to."

            "Ah.  Well, best of luck to you, Von Stupor."

            They finally arrived at the blimp.

            "As for me," he said, shifting back to Yugi.  "I'm going to go visit Bakura.  I heard he's better now."

            "Wait!  Why is this 'Bakura' of changed ways?  How can he be healed of his evil?"

            "Oh, his Millennium Ring houses a spirit too, except his spirit is evil and controls him against his will."

            "Ahhh, okay.  I shall follow and meet him more formally than before."

            "Alright, then!  I'm sure he'd like that!"

            They moved into the blimp and heard everyone in the lounge room, chatting and laughing.  Yugi poked his head in and asked where Bakura was.  He then thanked them and came back out.

            "He's in his room.  Come on," he informed Von Stupor, moving into the hall.

            Von Stupor obediently tagged along.  About four doors down, there was one opened.  Yugi and Von Stupor moved inside to see Bakura.  He was heard muttering something to himself, his back turned.

            "Speaking in tongue has become a hobby of yours?" blurted Von Stupor.

            Bakura turned around quickly, an expression of surprise on his face.

            "Oh!  Hello, guys!" he said, his voice slightly shaking.  "Who won the tournament?"

            "It was a draw between me and Baron Von Stupor, believe it or not.  By the way, this is Von Stupor," Yugi introduced.

            "Ah, yes.  I spoke to you before, but never really got to meet you.  So that's your name?  It's rather peculiar."

            "I'm a rather peculiar person," said Von Stupor with a chuckle.

            Von Stupor moved to sit on Bakura's table, but the instant he put his weight on it, the leg broke, sending Von Stupor and the bag he just noticed was on it crashing to the ground.  Items from inside the bag scattered across the floor.  Laughing, Yugi and Bakura rushed to pick up his possessions while Von Stupor sat on the floor, momentarily dazed.  Just then, a spherical object rolled over and hit Von Stupor's leg.  He looked down to see a golden sphere, about the size of a large marble.  It had the trademark eye on it that was also found on the Millennium Puzzle, Millennium Ring, and Millennium Rod.  His suspicion began to rise, as did his anger.  He slipped it into his jacket pocket as he stood up.

            "Are you alright, Von Stupor?" asked Bakura, still snickering a bit.

            "Yes, yes, I'm fine," he assured him, avoiding eye contact.  _Not yet,_ he thought to himself.  _You do not know any real facts just yet, just remain calm…_

            He helped pick up all the remaining items and began to leave when Bakura said, "I think I'm missing something…"

            "I think I saw something roll underneath the bed," Von Stupor lied, and left.

            He wandered up to the top of thee blimp and watched the sun set.  He heard footsteps and turned to see that Téa had followed him.

            "Von Stupor, I…  I have to talk to you," she said nervously.

            "This may not be a good time," he replied solemnly.

            "It's very important, and I'm afraid I may not get another chance…"

            "This may not be a safe place to be positioned near soon…"

            "Please, you have to listen to me!  It's about earlier, when you walked in on Bakura and me.  I…  I wasn't talking about—"

            "You will give me back my Millennium Eye," a voice cut her off.

            It was Bakura.  He didn't have his usual accent, and his face looked more evil.

            "So my inference was correct.  What I saw was indeed the Millennium Eye," stated Von Stupor, his anger building.  "Furthermore, the vessel did not obtain the item, you did.  Now I want you to tell me how."

            "Oh?  It appears you are an acquaintance of Maximillion Pegasus.  Well, then, I suppose I could oblige you.  I seek to obtain all seven Millennium items, for when they are all in one's possession, that one will gain tremendous power, beyond anyone's imagination.  Pegasus owned the Millennium Eye.  When he dueled Yugi, their duel was in the Shadow Realm, and Pegasus had it set up to where it would put a strain on the minds of either duelist.  Knowing that little Yugi would not be able to cope with it, Pegasus hoped to force the Pharaoh out for good, allowing Pegasus to read his mind once more.  Needless to say, Pegasus was still defeated.  When he retreated, I followed and challenged him to yet another shadow game, one that would also put a strain on his already weakened mind.  Once I defeated him, I relinquished him of his Millennium Eye… in the only way possible."

            Von Stupor's eyes opened wide.

            "You… you…" he sputtered.

            "Extracted it straight from his face," Bakura finished with a smirk.  "If only you could have heard the cries of agony—"

            "_Enough!!!_" Von Stupor screamed, waving his hand across his chest.

            Once he did this, a ball of dark fire shot at Bakura.

            "I activate 'Negate Attack'!" he cried, throwing a card in the air.  Von Stupor's fireball dissipated before hitting Bakura.  "How did you do that?!" he asked, baffled.

            "I… I don't know…" he replied, looking at his hands as they remained ablaze with dark fire for a moment.

            _You're not supposed to do that!_ Majora shouted from within his head.  _How could you have possibly learned how to channel—_ he stopped suddenly.

            Von Stupor sensed nervousness as his mind clicked.  _How to channel what?_ he thought back sternly.

            _How to channel the powers of the mask…_ he growled hesitantly.  He sighed and thought, _I have just given myself away…_

            _You mean to inform me… that your spirit was never enchanted to begin with?  That this mask is what contained the power, not you???_

            "_That the power you claimed to have really lied within this mask and was usable by either one of us at any time?!_" he screamed aloud.

            Téa gasped and merely watched the mess she had unknowingly blundered into.

            "You… you held out on me…" Von Stupor said, hurt.

            His mask glowed and Majora spoke aloud, "_Yes!!!  All I needed was your body to get what I wanted!_"  Von Stupor then spoke.  "I… I truly was… just a means to an end…  _Yes, you were._  Why, Majora?  Why would you do such a thing?  _Haven't you learned by now that I do not care about you?  I only want to torture souls, and this deal was the perfect chance.  The only reason I made that deal with you was because I was feeling merciful.  I don't care about you, your deck, or your safety.  I merely wanted to inflict pain and suffering, no matter what those poor fools' deeds were, and you helped me accomplish just that.  Your emotional stress must have been at its climax just then, and that is why you were able to channel the mask's power._  I…  But…  _Now leave me alone!  I do not wish to hear your childish whimpering._"

            Von Stupor sat in place for a moment, and his mask stopped glowing.  He stared at the ground.

            "Von Stupor…  I'm so sorry," Téa said to him.

            "If you are finished, I will be taking back my Millennium Eye now," Bakura said coldly.

            "_No…_" Von Stupor retorted quickly, a burning hatred in his voice.  "I am far from finished.  Pegasus has had ill will inflicted upon him, and his Millennium Eye has been thieved from him.  My search for answers has finally been completed, and now it is time for my retribution to begin."

            "What are you talking about?"

            "I challenge you to a game of shadows!  Duel Monsters is the name.  If I win, the Millennium Eye shall stay with me and your mind and soul shall repent in the Shadow Realm!"

            "And if I win?"

            "Then I will meet the same fate."

            "I think I would rather seize my Millennium Eye by force."

            Bakura began to reach for his Millennium Ring when in a flash, Von Stupor was in front of him and said in a horrific tone, "_I think not that you have much of a choice._"

            "Von Stupor, don't!  You'll send Bakura to the Shadow Realm!"

            "I know what I'm doing, Téa!  Trust me," he replied to her.

            "Hm.  Fine, then, I'll play your game.  You have no idea of the horrors that lie within my deck."

            The two duelists moved to either side of the blimp and readied their duel disks.


	15. The Revenge of the Masked Duelist

"The Revenge of the Masked Duelist"

            By: Von Stupor

            "So you wish to own the Millennium Eye, do you? Do you truly believe you can harness its power?" asked Bakura, smugly.

            "I shall not harness the power of the Millennium Eye; I shall return it to its rightful owner through this shadow game!" Von Stupor replied, his voice quivering with raw hatred.  His fists were tightly clenched, shaking ever slightly.

            "Fine then, let us begin!"

            A dark fog emitted from Bakura's Millennium Ring, engulfing the arena.

            "This game shall not only test our dueling skills, but our shadow powers as well, as our mind's energy shall be slowly drained!  I'm sure you remember this little nuance of dueling from your duel with Marik," Bakura informed him.

            Von Stupor surveyed his surroundings.  The blimp within the shadow realm was much darker, and to his dismay, he also found Téa inside the evil void, staring helplessly at the two.

            Von Stupor snapped his attention back to Bakura and shouted, "Bakura, she is not involved in this!  Let her go at once!"

            "I am afraid that is too late as the shadow game has already begun," Bakura chuckled smugly.

            "She has no experience with the Shadow Realm, nor has she any mental power to withstand this duel's toil on her brain!  Don't you understand?!  Should she pass out her mind could sustain permanent damage!!!"

            "Then you had better lose quickly if you wish to save her, ha ha."

            As Von Stupor's blood began to boil, Majora spoke to him in his mind.

            _Well now, it appears that there is anoth—_

_            No,_ Von Stupor thought back, cutting him off.  _This is personal.  I shall take care of this myself; now take your leave of me.  I do not wish to hear your voice._

            Majora snorted and left.

            "Will you make the first move, or shall I?" asked Bakura.

            "You make the first move," Von Stupor flatly answered.  "I wish to smash through every one of your defenses."

            "Fine then.  I'll set two M/T cards and one monster.  Your turn."

            "I shall set two M/T cards and one monster.  Go."

            "I shall set a second monster and flip summon the White Magical Hat and attack your set monster!"

            A man in a blue tuxedo wearing a white top hat and cape jumped out of a portal and using his sabre slashed Von Stupor's face-down monster.  It was a Kuriboh, and was quickly severed.

            Just then, a sharp pain shot through Von Stupor's chest.  He clutched it with his hand and dropped to one knee, groaning.

            Téa snapped out of her shock and dashed to Von Stupor.

            "_Von Stupor!!!_  What's going on?!" she shrieked, bending down over him.

            "Oh?  Did I forget to tell you?" asked Bakura, smiling evilly.  "We each put our heart and soul into our decks, so our monsters represent little parts of our soul.  We all know that our soul is a _very_ sensitive part of our being, so naturally the slightest touch can send one reeling in pain, and seeing that our monsters represent our soul, one can infer…"

            "You monster!"

            Von Stupor stood back up and abruptly sneezed twice in succession.  Drawing, he ignored this new stipulation and said, "I'll set one M/T and one Field Magic card, ending my turn.  Your move, thiever of light."

            "You set a Field Magic card?  It must be something that can help me out.  Now I shall summon the Bistro Butcher!" Bakura announced.

            A chef rose out of a portal.  He was rather muscular, and had dark blue, warty skin.  He had horrid teeth and blood spattered all across his outfit.  In place of his right hand he bore a rusty hook, and in the other he held a rusty machete.

            "White Magical Hat, attack his Life Points directly!" ordered Bakura.

            The White Magical Hat dashed at Von Stupor and with lightning speed, he stabbed him right through the chest.  Von Stupor stood, stunned, and grunted loudly in pain.  After a moment, the saber was removed.

            "Since this is another realm, monsters cannot crush nor pierce nor physically harm a duelist in any way.  However, their attacks may still sting a bit.  By the way, my White Magical Hat's special effect has just been activated.  Whenever he damages your Life Points, one card is randomly discarded from your hand to the Graveyard!"

            Von Stupor watched as the White Magical Hat snatched a card from his hand.  He showed it to everyone prior to making it disappear in a magic trick.

            "My Relinquished!" cried von Stupor.

            "Do my eyes deceive me?!" Bakura asked, laughing.  "You have just lost your strongest monster!  Also, since it was not properly summoned, you may not special summon it back from the Graveyard!"

            "Neither can you," Von Stupor said, indifferent.  "'Tis my turn now?"

            "Not quite yet," replied the disgruntled spirit.  "Go, my Bistro Butcher, attack his Life Points directly!"

            The Bistro Butcher leapt over and tried to jam its hook into Von Stupor's mask.  The mask met the hook with a fierce clack, but was left unscathed.  The butcher looked at Von Stupor incredulously and grunted in bewilderment.

            "My mask cannot be broken by physical ways," Von Stupor gloated.

            Grinning evilly, the butcher shoved his machete into Von Stupor's gut and wrenched it around.  Von Stupor fell to the ground instantaneously, clutching his stomach and crying in pain.

            "Von Stupor…" Téa said faintly.  Von Stupor looked up and saw Téa sitting on her knees next to him.  She appeared extremely groggy and wobbled to and fro.

            "Téa…" he said to her.  "You're succumbing to the shadows…  Fight it…"

            He struggled for a bit and sat up.

            "I can't…" she replied.  "My mind… just isn't strong enough.  I want to stay awake, but my body…  It won't let me."

            "Don't concentrate, just speak to me.  What do you wish to do after high school?"

            "I… I want to become a dancer…"

            "Where will you move to achieve this dream?"

            "I… I…"  Her eyes started to close.

            "Where will you move?!"

            Her eyes snapped back open.  "Oh!  I… I want to move to New York in America…  Von Stupor, I can't last much longer…"

            "Yes you can!  I don't want you to leave me…  I… I am copeless and strong, but… still my strength declines without your, nay, anyone's support…"

            Téa wobbled and fell to the side.  Von Stupor caught her and held her in his arms.

            "Don't you understand, Von Stupor?" she said faintly, a slight smile across her lips.  "No matter how far apart we are, we'll always be together…  Maybe not in body, but… but in spirit.  We'll always be there to… to stand up for each other when we need each other… the most…  I… I'll always be there for you…"

            Von Stupor clutched his chest again.  "What about your sake, Téa?  What about… your safety?"

            "Do not fear for me… fear for yourself.  I… am expendable…"

            Von Stupor gasped.

            "As long… as what I do helps… I'm always glad to… to make that sacrifice…  It's just a shame… that… I couldn't tell you… my truth…"

            She then closed her eyes, but did not open them.  Von Stupor stared for a moment in fear.  He half-expected her to jump up and grab his shoulders, shouting "_Just kidding!_", but he knew it wouldn't happen.  Clutching his chest tighter than ever, he slowly reached for her face.  Then, his hand quivering, he lightly stroked her cheek with the backs of her fingers.  He had never noticed the warmth she emitted nor the smooth texture of her skin until just now.

            While Von Stupor was in utter shock at what happened, Bakura was chuckling to himself.

            "It appears you should not have resisted me," Bakura told him.  "Now your friend is about to pay for your stubbornness."

            Von Stupor gently laid her down and stood up, infuriated.

            "Curse you… you _turd of bass!!!_"

            "You may draw two cards whenever the bistro Butcher damages your Life Points.  Once you do so, you may begin your turn," Bakura said, completely ignoring Von Stupor's outburst.

            Von Stupor took a moment to attempt calming himself down.

            _I cannot become consumed by anger or it will cloud my judgment, _he thought.  _But what he has done to Téa…  No.  It is in her best interest that I keep my mind on the duel.  I won't let anything happen to her…  I will not allow anything to happen to her.  She isn't involved in this matter, and yet her sweet, innocent soul had to be sucked into it…  Damn him!  He shall pay by the edge of my cards!  Seeing as I have no stronger monsters to summon, I must bide my time._  "I'll activate 'Swords of Revealing Light'!  This card—"

            "I discard one card from my hand to activate 'Magic Jammer'!  I know very well what that card's effect is, and I was well prepared for it."

            The swords that appeared were very dim and weak.  Within moments, they fizzled and dimmed out.

            _No!  This is not good…_ Von Stupor thought.

            "I'll summon the Whiptail Crow, ending my turn."

            "Fine then.  I'll set one monster and shift my White Magical Hat to defense position.  Next I'll attack your Whiptail Crow with the Bistro Butcher!  Use your Cleaver Cutter attack!"

            The Bistro Butcher engaged the Whiptail Crow, but in a violent rage, the massive bird tackled the butcher and pecked its face to pieces.

            "He-he didn't use his tail to attack?!" Bakura sputtered in disbelief.

            "Behold the power of 'Rush Recklessly'!  It is a Quick-Play Magic card that raises a selected monster's attack by 700 for the duration of the turn in which it is activated!"

            Smirking, he ended his turn.

            "You… you did not flinch?" Von Stupor wondered.

            "Heh, heh…  I am a spirit, I have no soul anymore.  Not since I was locked away in the Millennium Ring, anyway.  Your attacks cannot hurt me.  The only soul that suffers is the one that belongs in this body…"

            "Wh…?!  No!!!"

            "That's right.  The closer you get to your victory, the more this boy suffers!  This is indeed a cruel world, isn't it?"

            "No…  Why?  Why must it be like this?  Why must a young boy suffer due to a feud between you and I?"

            "That is what makes you weak, Von Stupor.  Just like the Pharaoh, you care too much about others to be strong."

            "…And yet he still defeated you," said Von Stupor through clenched teeth.  His mask began to glow once more.  "You will feel the pain you've inflicted on others one way or another, evil spirit."

            Bakura grunted in surprise as he felt a tug at his chest.

            Von Stupor pointed his finger at Bakura and said, "I cannot allow you to hurt another being!  Therefore by the dark powers of this mask, I shall _exorcise your spirit from that vessel!!!_"

            Just then, the spirit felt itself be torn away from the vessel.  He looked down to see himself still in possession of Bakura's image, while the true Bakura lay on the ground next to him.

            "What is this?!" sputtered Bakura in surprise.

            "This mask…" Von Stupor replied, looking at his hands.  "Perhaps it wasn't truly intended for evil…  It seems that when the time is right, knowledge of its uses come flooding into my head, but only for a split second."  He looked up at Yami Bakura.  "I could not allow you to involve another innocent in our battle; therefore I separated you from Bakura for the duration that we are in the Shadow Realm.  Oddly enough, the realm's power supports this, as the earthen realm does not.  Since you are but a spirit, however, you have no physical form, and thusly you are forced to share the image of your vessel."

            "You fool!  You still cannot harm me!"

            "You are halfway correct, O heartless one!  Since you have no soul, I cannot damage you through destruction of your monsters!  However, you physically stand before me now, so that I may attack you directly at the source."

            "Wah hah hah!!!  What makes you think you'll ever land a direct attack on me???"

            "This does," said Von Stupor, holding up a 'Dark Hole'.

            He activated a card and hunched in pain as his monster alongside Bakura's two were sucked into a dark void, never to be seen again.

            "Now I summon the Man-Eating Treasure Chest and attack you directly with Treasure Trove Chomp!"

            Bakura gaped in horror as the monstrosity latched onto his leg and shook itself about.  After a moment, it let go and wandered back to Von Stupor's side of the field.

            Bakura sat on one knee, clutching his bitten leg and crying in agony.

            "Feel my anger, Bakura!  Does it hurt?!" Von Stupor shouted at him.  "What you feel is the sensations I have felt all this time!!!  Thou hath sinned horribly!!!  Thou hath taken over an innocent youth's life!  Thou hath nearly destroyed Yugi and his friends!  Thou hath involved an innocent girl in our personal matters, simply to get under my skin!  Thou hath— no, _you have_ injured my idol!  _So help me Farore, I shall insure that what has gone around shall damn well come around!!!_"

            Standing back up, Bakura angrily said, "I haven't felt true pain in a long time, I will admit that, but with the hinderments I have placed before you, you will pass out before you ever defeat me.  I can tell simply removing me from the vessel's body took a lot of your mental strength to accomplish.  You're probably hiding your fatigue as we speak.  I'll activate 'Raigeki' and destroy your monster, ending my turn."

            A lightning bolt shot down and struck Von Stupor's monster, felling it.

            "I'll play 'Dian Keto the Cure Master', but for another cause!" declared Von Stupor.  _In the Shadow Realm, the rules are unchanged, but drastically upgraded!  For instance, when one summons a monster, it is very real and the duelist feels this harsh reality when it attacks directly.  If a monster can be used for reasons other than its primary, then perhaps…_

            Out from a portal stepped an older woman dressed in a white robe.  She had long, curly green hair that went down to her shoulders.  She began to recite a spell when Von Stupor cut her off.

            "No, don't!" he said quickly.

            Dian Keto looked at him, puzzled.

            "Listen.  Get the white-haired boy on the ground and set him near the girl lying behind me.  Next use your healing powers on them.  Do not allow any serious damage to befall their minds!  Can you do that?"

            "I can, but their protections from the Shadow Realm's strain begin to fade in time," she replied kindly.

            "How long?"

            "I am uncertain, but when I use my magic on them, they will have a protective aura around them.  When it is gone, so is my magic."

            "Very well, then."

            Von Stupor returned to the duel.

            "Very interesting move," he commented and passed his turn.

            "I'll set one M/T and end my turn."

            "I shall pass this turn also."

            "I set another M/T and end my turn."

            "I'll set one M/T.  Your turn."

            "I shall activate 'Mystical Space Typhoon' and destroy the M/T card on your far right!"

            A black tornado blew Bakura's 'Magic Thorn' Trap card up and away.

            "Next, I'll summon the Whiptail Crow once more!" continued Von Stupor.  "Now I shall also equip it with 'Axe of Despair', raising his attack from 1650 to 2650!  Attack Bakura's Life Points directly with Axetail Chop!"

            The Whiptail Crow's tail tip metamorphosed into a large axe blade.  It jumped into the air and it came down, swinging its tail with such force that it sliced clean through Bakura's neck.  He clutched his throat and hacked in pain.  He dropped to his knees, gasping and wheezing.

            While Bakura recovering from the attack, Von Stupor thought, _I have now crawled back to a decent lead, 5200 to his 2700.  I'm not in the clear yet, I must remain focused._

            He looked behind him to see Bakura and Téa's auras holding fairly strong, but Dian Keto was nowhere to be seen.  Von Stupor figured that she must have disappeared once her duty was fulfilled.

            "I will not allow myself… to be beaten…" muttered Bakura between breaths.  "Especially… by one who does not own a Millennium Item!  I'll play 'Tribute to the Doomed', which destroys one of your monsters at the cost of discarding a card from my hand!  I'll then set one monster and end my turn."

            As white ribbons shot up from the ground and wrapped around the Whiptail Crow, dragging it into the ground, Von Stupor felt his soul being torn.  Curled over, he thought to himself, _There is no denying the fact that I am considering giving up.  I want to give up, but I know I can't.  I am not only fighting for myself, but for everyone else that he has wronged…  No!!!  What am I thinking?!  How can I allow myself to think of such things?!  As long as Téa and I are friends, we'll always be together, and as long as we're together, she would never want me to give up, and as long as she doesn't want me to give up, give up I shall not do!  No matter what I'm fighting for, I shall not give up!  I shall fight to the end!!!_

            Von Stupor straightened up with a jolt and cried, "Strike me down as many times as you want, I will never stay down!  I summon the Mystic Tomato and attack your set monster!"

            The monster was a Man-Eater Bug.  The two monsters stared at each other incredulously for a moment.  Then the bug lightly poked the tomato with its claw and the vegetable exploded, taking the Man-Eater Bug with it.

            "I'll set one M/T and end my turn," Bakura stated.

            "I'll activate a second 'Dian Keto the Cure Master' to raise my Life Points by 1000, bringing them up to 6200!"

            Dian Keto appeared once more and healed Von Stupor.

            "_Oooooooh,_ what a burden that was lifted off of my pounding head!!!" Von Stupor cried in relief.  "You were correct in saying that I was hiding my fatigue, but now I am fully charged!  Now, I shall destroy the M/T of which you had just set with another 'Mystical Space Typhoon'!"

            The resulting whirlwind blew away Bakura's set 'Mirror Force'.

            "Considering the appearance of your side of the field, that was only a mere setback," said Bakura indifferently.  "I shall summon another White Magical Hat and attack your Life Points directly, bringing them right back to 5200!"

            The White Magical Hat threw a knife that impaled one of the cards in Von Stupor's hand and then lodged itself in his chest.

            Von Stupor howled in pain and yanked the knife back out.  As he did this, the card attached to the knife disappeared.

            "Cretin!" Von Stupor said to the White Magical Hat and threw the knife back at him.  The man cowered as the knife flew at him and the handle hit his arm.  He shook his fist at Von Stupor menacingly and in return, Von Stupor flicked him off.  The man came to attack Von Stupor again, but was bound by the rules of Duel Monsters.  Von Stupor laughed at him.

            "I'll pass this turn," said von Stupor, and the White Magical Hat smiled, pulling out his saber.

            "With no monsters on the field?  It appears you have dug yourself a hole you cannot escape from.  White Magical hat, attack his life points directly!"

            "Not so fast!  I'll activate 'Skull Lair'!  By removing cards in my Graveyard equal to a monster's number of stars from play, I can destroy the respective monster!  Kiss your prom queen jockey good-bye, for this is the end of the dance!  Ha, ha, that was a tad risqué now that I think about it…"

            The Skull Lair rose from the ground as the White Magical Hat rushed towards Von Stupor.  Fortunately, he was shocked and destroyed before he reached him.

            Frowning, Bakura ended his turn.

            "I'll pass this turn as well," Von Stupor announced.

            "Fine.  I'll set this monster and end my turn."

            "I set one M/T and end my turn."

            "I shall do the same.  Your turn."

            "Now I'll summon the Whiptail Crow and attack your set monster with Whiptail Whip!"

            The set monster was yet another Man-Eater Bug.  It was able to stab the Whiptail Crow in its gut before it was destroyed.  Von Stupor's strong spirit allowed him to ignore the sharp pain in his chest.

            "Now I shall summon the Vorse raider!" Bakura announced.

            _I see through his plans.  He's enticing me to waste the cards in my Graveyard.  I can't waste them, but I do not wish to suffer another attack…_ thought Von Stupor.

            "Any counters?" asked Bakura impatiently.

            "Do it!" Von Stupor ordered fearlessly.

            "Vorse Raider, attack his Life Points directly with Arts of the Raider!"

            The Vorse Raider leapt over and slashed Von Stupor across his chest, dropping his Life points to 3300.

            Von Stupor clutched his chest tightly and tried to absorb the pain.  Despite his best efforts not to, he emitted a soft groan through his gritted teeth.

            "I'll draw and set one M/T card," he said.  "I'll then activate 'Fissure' and destroy your Vorse raider as it is the only monster on your side of the field."

            The ground collapsed under the Vorse Raider, destroying it.

            "That ends my turn," finished Von Stupor.

            "I'll summon the Slate Warrior and attack your life points directly with Slate Slam attack!"

            Three robed women appeared and chanted as the Slate Warrior charged at Von Stupor.  The monster attempted to punch him, but was blown away by an unseen force.

            "I have activated the Trap card 'Waboku', which reduces any battle damage from your monsters to 0 for this turn!"

            "You're only delaying the inevitable."

            "I implore to disagree!  I am merely biding my time," Von Stupor corrected him as he drew.  He turned to look at Bakura and Téa and saw their auras were beginning to fade.  _I only hope that my biding doesn't show any negative consequences…_  He turned back to Bakura and said, "My stalling has served me well, for I have drawn a very useful card."

            "Is that so?"

            "Yes!  I'll summon the Sonic Bird, which allows me to place one Ritual Magic card from my deck to my hand!"

            "Another Ritual monster?"

            "No, just one.  Now I shall play 'Black Illusion Ritual'!"

            "No!"

            "…And I'll sacrifice my Sonic bird to Ritual Summon Relinquished!  Behold, for he hath returnéd!"

            "You have more than one Relinquished?!"

            "Too much of a good thing is not necessarily a bad thing, Bakura.  Now, Relinquished, absorb his Slate Warrior and attack his Life Points directly with Absorption Blast attack!"

            Relinquished easily absorbed the Slate Warrior and fired a large blast from its eye at Bakura.  This left him with a raging fire clinging to his body.

            He wildly slapped at himself, but to no avail.  He ultimately dropped to the ground and rolled until the flame died.  He stood back up, smoking and furious.

            "I set one monster," he said, panting heavily.  "and end my turn.  You shall meet the same fate as Pegasus, mark my words."

            "Pegasus is not dead!  …And your Life Points are at 800."

            "Be silent and take your turn!"

            "…You contradicted yourself."

            Bakura sneered.

            "Relinquished, attack his set monster now!"

            Relinquished fired a mighty blast at the newly revealed Vorse Raider, reducing it to a charred corpse prior to disappearing.

            Bakura drew a card and began to laugh.  "Your Relinquished shall disappear just as fast as it came!  I play 'Dark Hole' and destroy all monsters on the field!  Now I am free to play 'Monster Reborn' to special summon the Summoned Skull from the Graveyard!"

            "Wait!  I may now destroy it with 'Skull Lair'!"

            As the Summoned Skull crawled out of the floor, the Skull Lair electrocuted it with such force that it exploded.

            _Damn it,_ thought Bakura.  _I jumped the gun that time.  Now I have no protection!_  "Your turn."

            "I shall set one M/T and end my turn."

            "I'll… pass my turn," Bakura said with a frown that could kill.

            "You are most fortunate.  I have no monsters, therefore I shall activate 'Mystical Space Typhoon' on your Trap card."

            "Wh… which one?"

            "The one on my left."

            The tornado blew away the Trap card, but Von Stupor could not see its picture.  Bakura began cackling.

            "You have made a fatal error in which trap card you should have destroyed!  I now activate 'Destiny Board'!"

            "No!!!  You used that combination on Yugi!"

            "Yes!  Each turn, one letter shall be added to its message, and once each letter is in place, this duel shall automatically end in my favor!"

            _In four turns, this duel shall end! _Von Stupor thought to himself.  _ He must be getting desperate, for I have a clear Life Point advantage.  If I can manage to destroy any of those letters, his plans will be ruined, but unfortunately, I have no cards that can destroy any Magic or Trap cards!  If I am to win this duel, I must act fast!  This is a race… a race for many things… for my life… for Téa's life… for Bakura's life… for retribution…  I must win._

            "It is now your turn," announced Bakura.

            Von Stupor looked up to see a large Ouija board floating in the air.  In front of it hovered a spirit holding a letter 'F'.

            "I have no choice but to pass this turn," said Von Stupor.

            "Ha, ha, now my message begins to take form.  Behold, there are two letters now!"

            In front of the Ouija board, there now hovered an 'F' and an 'I'.

            "By the way, I pass this turn," Bakura added.

            Von Stupor drew once more, but could not draw a monster.

            _Damn it, a dry spell is uncalled for!!!  _Von Stupor thought to himself angrily.  _Three turns left…  At this rate, the message will be completed faster than my mind could snap!_

            "I pass," Von Stupor grunted.

            "Now the letter 'N' is added to my message!  In addition to this, I shall summon a second Bistro butcher and attack your Life points directly!"

            The Bistro Butcher leapt over and tried to jam its hook into Von Stupor's mask.  The mask met the hook with a fierce clack, but was left unscathed.  The butcher looked at Von Stupor incredulously and grunted in bewilderment.

            Just then, Von Stupor threw himself to the ground and acted hurt.  He clutched his mask and screamed while thrashing.  He noticed his Life points go down to 1500 as the Bistro butcher wandered back to Bakura.

            Von Stupor chuckled to himself as he stood up and Bakura berated him for cheating.  He would have ordered the butcher to attack again, but he was now bound by the rules of Duel Monsters.

            "Now I draw two cards," he said with a snicker.

            "I'll set one M/T and end my turn.  This will not happen again."

            "That I am sure of, ha ha.  One of the two cards I drew shall help me greatly!  I summon the Copycat!  With this monster, I shall copy the attack and defense of your Bistro Butcher!  Now you may only destroy my monster at the cost of your own!"

            The Copycat appeared and shoved its mirror in the butcher's face.  It then peered into the mirror, which retained the butcher's image and transformed its face to match that of the butcher.

            "Well, you are actually correct.  First, my message gains the letter 'A'.  Next, at the cost of sacrificing my Bistro Butcher, I may Tribute Summon a Summoned Skull!  If I'm not mistaken, you shouldn't have enough monsters left in your Graveyard to destroy this monster!"

            "No, I do not…  I should have taken my chance while I had it…  Now you shall destroy my monster…"

            "Yes, exactly!  Summoned Skull, attack his Copycat with Lightning Strike!"

            The Summoned Skull's electricity sent the Copycat into a seizure prior to disappearing into smoke.  Von Stupor's Life Points became even with Bakura's at a low 800.

            "Oh, no…" Von Stupor said, grasping his chest.

            He turned and looked at Bakura and Téa.  He saw their auras fading rather quickly now.

            "That's correct, Baron Von Stupor.  Not only will you have to prevent my message from completion, you must also overcome my Summoned Skull in your next turn if you wish to emerge victorious.  You were doomed at the start.  I will admit, you gave me a good challenge, but the holder of the Millennium item shall always win against one who does not!"

            _This is it!_ He thought.  _If I am to save Bakura and Téa…__  I must win this duel now!_  "I believe I shall prove you wrong right now!  First, I shall activate 'Harpie's Feather Duster', which destroys all Magic and Trap cards on your side of the field, _including your message!_"

            "Do you expect me to be unprepared for this situation?!  I knew you'd discover a way to destroy my message!  I shall discard a card from my hand to activate 'Magic Jammer'!"

            A giant feather duster appeared, but one by one, the feathers fell out until none were left.

            "_Ha!!!  You fell for my bluff, and now you shall pay dearly!  Without worry, I now play my third 'Black Illusion Ritual'!!!_"

            "_No!!!_"

            "…And by sacrificing a Whiptail Crow from my hand, I may Ritual Summon my third and final Relinquished!!!  Come to me, Summoned Skull!"

            Relinquished sucked in Summoned Skull and then stared straight at Bakura, as if it knew what it had to do.

            "Relinquished… go now, and finish off he who has desecrated thy creator… and mine idol."

            "_Nooooooo!!!_" cried Bakura as he was hit by Relinquished's Absorption Blast attack.

            "This duel is won, evil spirit of the ring, and you shall now be banished to the Shadow Realm… _for all of eternity!!!_"

            Bakura, flaming, was then consumed by the shadows.  All Von Stupor could hear was the faint voice of the spirit crying, "I'll be back…  I'll have my revenge…"

            The fog then cleared away, leaving a beautiful starlit night sky.  Yugi and friends came into view just then.  They took one look at Bakura and knew what had happened.

            "_Bakura!!!_" cried Yugi, running to him.

            "Von, what happened here?!" demanded Joey.

            "The evil spirit of the Millennium Ring had plucked the Millennium Eye from Pegasus's face… and I have just now avenged him," explained Von Stupor.

            "You didn't have to punish Bakura to fulfill your own intentions!  Why would you do such a thing?!" Yugi shouted at him, holding up Bakura's head.

            "Eh?  I never punished Bakura, Yugi.  'Twas the spirit.  Watch the boy and see what occurs."

            Von Stupor then picked up Téa and left.

            "Y… Yugi…  What happened?" asked Bakura in a faint whisper.

            "You've just been saved," Yugi answered, astonished.  "Saved by Baron Von Stupor…"


	16. The Unfinished Business of the Masked Du...

"The Unfinished Business of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

Von Stupor carried Téa to a room in the blimp while Yugi and the others helped Bakura recover from his exorcism.  His body had been a vessel for so long that it had become slightly dependent on the spirit's presence.

            He set Téa in her bed and sat in a chair next to it.  Yawning, he reached into his mask and wiped the sweat from his forehead.  It had been a very stressful duel.  His head was pounding from his time spent in the Shadow Realm, coupled with the stress of maintaining Bakura's and Téa's safety.  After a few minutes, he fell into a light sleep.

            He dreamt of meeting Pegasus in person when he was awakened by the sound of Téa's voice.

            "Where… what…" she said softly, holding her head.  She turned to see Von Stupor and lunged over, embracing him.  "Von Stupor, you survived!  You survived…"

            Von Stupor froze in shock, grasping the sides of the chair firmly.

            "What happened to Bakura?  Is he alright?" she asked.

            "Uh… er…" Von Stupor struggled.

            Realizing what she was doing, she let go of Von Stupor and leaned back into her bed quickly.  She appeared very flustered.

            "He… is alright," Von Stupor said finally.

            "That's good.  I have… something I need to tell you."

            "My apologies, Téa, but now that I know you are well, I must depart," he said, sounding forlorn.

            "But… why?"

            "I have… unfinished business I must tend to immediately."

            "Are we at Battle City already?"

            "No, not yet."

            "Then… what would you need to tend to on the blimp?"

            "I…  It's… a personal issue.  I'd rather keep it to myself…"

            Von Stupor then walked out of the room.  Téa heard him apologize to her once more before he left her sight.

            He marched down the hall and passed Yugi, Joey, and Tristan as they were en route to Téa's room.

            "Hey Von, you're walking awfully fast.  What's the matter?" Joey observed.

            "I have something I must do," he replied without slowing down.

            "What's that?"

            "Something I should have done long ago…  Something I may not have the strength to do again."

            With this said, Von Stupor continued down the hall.

            _He's gonna propose to Serenity,_ Joey thought to himself with a chuckle.  _Nah, he wouldn't do that… would he?_

            "What's with the stern look Joey?" Tristan asked him.

            "I'll be back, guys, I… er, I gotta go use the bathroom," he answered and hurried down the hall in hot pursuit of Von Stupor.

            "But Joey, the bathroom's this way!" Yugi called.

            "Yeah, but Kaiba's this way!" Joey called back without slowing.

            He stayed a safe distance from Von Stupor and followed him back up to the top of the blimp.  Von Stupor stepped outside and shut the door behind him.  When Joey opened the door back up, he stood face-to-face with Von Stupor.

            "Please leave, Joey," he asked.

            "Sorry pal, I can't do that.  I wanna know what's going on here."

            "I appreciate your concern, but I must do this alone.  I cannot risk another's safety."  Von Stupor sounded very stern and out of his usual character.

            "You mean you're not going to— I mean, no way!  If it's for the common good, I want to help!  I'm your friend, man, and you're not risking my safety at all.  I'm risking my own safety for you, because that's what friends do for each other!"

            Sighing, Von Stupor said, "Very well.  You may offer support, but _do not get involved._"

            "Sure thing."

            Von Stupor then turned to the night sky and called out, "Majora!"

            His mask then glowed as he spoke in Majora's voice.

            "_What do you want?_"  His voice returned to normal.  "We must converse.  _State your business._  Majora, I thought us to be friends, comrades, bosom buddies.  Then it was revealed to me that you only wanted me for my body.  _Yes, go on._  I thought a playful prank was in order.  In other words, after my retribution was made, I forgave you, despite the magnitude of your wrong.  _What is your point?_  I'll get to it.  Later, I found out that all this time, you protected me and provided justice when during the entire time, I could have done it myself.  I was simply submitting to a win-win situation, Majora.  _What is your point?!_  Out of our deal, I got nothing and you got everything.  This isn't all, however.  While justice is being dealt, it is being dealt for all the wrong reasons.  Where I deliver justice for the good of man, you deliver justice because it is your excuse to torture people.  I was a fool to accept this deal and now I wish to call it off."

            "Yeah!  Way to go, Von!" Joey cheered.  "You show that old fart who's boss!"

            "_You wish to call off our deal, do you?_  Yes, I… I have had enough.  _Ha ha ha… you do know that your mask will not come off unless I authorize its removal, yes?_  I do not wish to be rid of the mask, Majora.  I wish to be rid of you.  _Wh__…?!  Insolence!"_

            "Oh, that was harsh…" said Joey, wincing.

            "_How dare you!_  Majora, how would you like to have my body, free for you to use without my interference?  _What?  You… you wish to give your body to me?_  Yes, but under one condition.  _Oh?  What condition is that?_  I want you to defeat me in a duel.  Win it and the body is yours.  _There is another edge on this sword, I am sure._  Yes, there is.  If I were to defeat you, you will leave your mask to me with no further interference.  _The only way to win this…_ is in a shadow game, yes.  If you win, my mind will be sent to the Shadow Realm, leaving my lifeless corpse here for you to possess for as long as you wish.  If I win, however, your spirit will be sent to the Shadow Realm, leaving a lifeless mask with endless power at my disposal.  Do you accept my challenge?  _I would be a fool not to.  I laugh at the thought of someone such as yourself defeatingme, a spirit over 2000 years old at its own game._  I have done this once, I shall do it again.  _Hmph!  Fine, then.  I accept your challenge, Baron Von Stupor._  There are stipulations…  _Stipulations?_  Yes.  I want this to be a fair duel.  I don't want any strain on either of our minds and I don't want any kind of pain involved.  Just you, me, and our cards, Majora.  No distractions.  _Ha, ha, ha…  Very well, then.  It makes no difference at all, I shall still defeat you._"

            A black fog poured out of the mask's eyes, swallowing the area.  Joey looked around himself.

            "The Shadow Realm again…" he observed nervously.  "Hey wait!  Von, how are you supposed to duel Majora?  …Von?"

            He looked at Von Stupor and saw him standing with his arms spread, his chest stuck out.  After groaning loudly, another Von Stupor burst from his chest.  This one was not wearing a mask, but the shadows concealed his face.

            "_What the hell is that thing?!_" Joey screamed loudly.

            "_Since I have no physical form, I must use the image of my vessel,_" the maskless Von Stupor said to Joey.

            Joey inferred that the maskless duelist was Majora.

            "Lemme see your face," he said to the spirit.

            "_Leave me alone, you pathetic little fool.  I have a body to gain._"

            "Say that again, you—"

            Just then, Joey was shot by a magical blast from Majora.

            "_Since the mask contains my power, I retain half of the strength that mask had, and I shall not hesitate to use it on your friend if you do not silence him._"

            "I told you," said Von Stupor to joey.  "You may offer support, but _do not_ get involved."

            "Yeah, okay," he agreed, holding his head.

            "_I have created my deck,_" said Majora as a duel disk magically appeared on his arm.  "_…and I can assure you that it is a deck like none you have ever faced before…_"

            "I would not expect any less from an ancient spirit," Von Stupor mentioned.

            "_Let's duel!!!_" they announced in unison.

**I have another announcement to make.  This next chapter may very well be the greatest chapter in the entire story, therefore I have found a midi clip that is absolutely perfect to listen to while reading the duel.  I came across it by accident while typing the story up, and if you wish to increase your Von Stupor experience ten fold, I would suggest that you ask for the midi by sending me an e-mail at eternalpackrat@hotmail.com with the subject "duel theme".  Anyone who asks for it, I will gladly give it to them, but on ****April 12, 2004****, it will be safe to assume that I have forgotten why people send me weird e-mails with the subject "duel theme".  Therefore, if you want the clip after this date, just be sure to let me know in the e-mail.  I _am_ human, after all, ha ha.**


	17. The Masked Duelist versus the Masked Due...

**Well, here it is!  Finally, the showdown between Von Stupor and Majora commences!  Are you excited?  Well, here it is!  Enjoy!**

"The Masked Duelist versus the Masked Duelist"

            By: Von Stupor

            "_I have waited so long for a moment to take your body and claim it as my own,_" said Majora.

            "I shall make the first move," said Von Stupor, ignoring Majora's statement.  "I'll set three M/T cards and one monster, ending my turn."

            "_I'll set two M/T and one monster.  Your turn."_

            "I set one M/T and end my turn."

            "_I shall summon the Mystic Tomato and—_"

            "Hm?  That is a monster of mine…"

            "_Well, what a coincidence.  I'll attack your face-down card with my Mystic Tomato._"

            Majora's Mystic Tomato bounced over and attempted to gobble up Von Stupor's face-down Dark Jeroid.  After a moment, it spit the Dark Jeroid back up, the jeroid fighting the whole time.

            "My Dark Jeroid permanently decreases one of your monsters' attack by 800 points when it is summoned or flipped face-up, and my target of choice is the Mystic Tomato!  Not only that, but my Dark Jeroid has greater defense than your monster's attack, so you lose the difference from your Life Points!"

            "_I have lost 100 Life Points…  Astonishing."_

            "It's not much, I know, but now I am free to attack your weakened Mystic Tomato with Dark Jeroid's Breath attack!"

            The Dark Jeroid belched in the Mystic Tomato's face, causing it to melt away and send Majora's Life Points to 7300.

            "_My Mystic Tomato's effect has now been activated.  It allows me to Special Summon one DARK-type monster from my deck to the field in face-up attack position that also possesses an attack of 1400 or less._"

            The Witch of the Black Forest appeared in a short while.

            "What are you up to, Majora?"

            "_You shall see, my pitiful adversary, you shall see…_"

            "Hm.  Your turn."

            "_Fine.__  I shall now activate my Trap card 'Ominous Fortunetelling'.  During each of my Standby Phases, I may choose a card in your hand and predict its category, or in other words, whether it is a Magic, Trap, or Monster card.  If I am correct, you automatically lose 700 Life Points, otherwise nothing happens._"

A table appeared beside Majora.  It had a small tablecloth on it and a crystal ball stationed in the direct middle.

"_Next I shall set one monster, shift Witch of the __Black Forest__ into defense position and end my turn._"

            _His cards are matching mine perfectly…_  "I'll summon Senju of the Thousand Hands— WHOOP!!!  He's got an effect!  I'll now place a Ritual Monster card from my deck into my hand!  Next, I'll attack your Witch of the Black Forest with Thousand Hand slap!"

            Senju rushed the witch and let loose a flurry of palms that rained upon her face.  She fell to the ground, battered, and disappeared.

            "_I shall now place a monster with a defense of 1500 or less into my hand._"

            "Fine, and before I end my turn, I shall attack your set monster with my Dark Jeroid!"

            The Dark Jeroid shot a burst stream from its mouth and destroyed the Nimble Momonga that lied within.

            "That is another card of mine!" cried Von Stupor.

            "_Yes, and thanks to its effect, I gain 1000 Life Points and am able to set any Nimble Momongas I have in my deck in face-down defense position._"

            Von Stupor was surprised to see that Majora only set one other Nimble Momonga.

            "You only set one card…"

            "_I only have two Nimble Momongas in my deck._"

            "I… only have two Nimble Momongas in _my_ deck…"

            "Wait a minute…  Is Majora playing with Von Stupor's deck???"  Joey asked in surprise.

            "_Yes, not only have I borrowed your form, Baron Von Stupor, I have borrowed your deck as well._"

            Von Stupor stared in shock.

            "_Like I said: you will be facing a deck like none you have ever faced before.__  Prepare for the ultimate battle!  I know all of your tricks and strategies, Von Stupor; do not think that I merely sat idle while you were in control of the body.  I knew this day would inevitably come, so I have well prepared for it.  Ha ha ha ha…  Now to begin my turn, I shall first abide by 'Ominous Fortunetelling' and predict that the card to the left in your hand is a Monster card._"

            The table's crystal ball shot a small beam at Von Stupor and cut his Life Points to 7300.

            "_Next I shall play 'Mystic Plasma Zone', which increases all DARK-type monsters' attack by 500.  Now I shall summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp— which, might I add, is a DARK-type monster— and attack your Senju of the Thousand Hands!_"

            In its defense, Senju swung all of its hands at La Jinn, but they were easily caught in one of the genie's massive hands.  La Jinn swung Senju around wildly and slammed him on the ground.  Senju lay on the ground, splattered to pieces for a few moments before it disappeared.

            _How can I combat my own deck???_  Von Stupor thought to himself.  _'Tis meant to compliment Relinquished, not counter it!_  "I draw and summon a La Jinn of my own.  Next, I'll play 'Change of Heart' on your La Jinn and attack your two monsters with mine!"

            The La Jinns teamed up and smashed both Majora's set Nimble Momonga and Sangan.

            "_Since my second Nimble Momonga was also destroyed as a result of battle, I gain another thousand Life Points.  My Sangan, when sent to the Graveyard, allows me to place a Monster card with an attack of 1500 or less from my deck to my hand._"

            _He's preparing himself for summoning Relinquished!_ Von Stupor thought to himself.  _I have a plan, though…_

            "_Now I shall draw,_" continued Majora.  "_I think the card in your hand that I'm thinking of is perhaps a Magic card?_"

            The crystal ball blinked red, signifying an incorrect guess.

            "_Fine, then.  La Jinn, attack the Dark Jeroid with Wish of Assassination attack._"

            La Jinn pointed a finger at the Dark Jeroid and shot a series of magical bullets all throughout its body.  Smoking, it fell over and disappeared.

            "As I draw, I am now able to play 'Black Illusion Ritual'!  I shall sacrifice my La Jinn to summon Relinquished!  Come to me, La Jinn!"

            Relinquished proceeded to inhale La Jinn.  The genie landed a hard right hook to Relinquished's eye, but his effort was in vain.  In a short while, his face was protruding from Relinquished's shoulder flap.

            "Now I shall attack your Life Points directly!  Relinquished, attack!"

            Relinquished fired a blast from its eye and hit Majora, knocking his Life Points down to 7000.

            Irritably, Majora began his counterattack as Joey cheered from afar.

            "_Ominous Fortunetelling's effect is activated during my Standby Phase, and I shall predict that the card in your hand that I am thinking of is a Trap._"

            The crystal ball blinked red, and Majora's eyebrows narrowed.

            "_I cannot leave this in the hands of my deductive skills.  I'll now have to come at you without mercy._"

            "That is something you should have been doing this whole time, old friend."

            Majora ignored this comment and angrily continued his turn.

            "_I'll summon the Bistro Butcher and end my turn without attacking._"

            "I shall summon yet another La Jinn, set one M/T and end my turn."

            "_I shall draw, and Ominous Fortunetelling is activated once more.  The card in the middle of your hand is a monster, yes?_"

            His crystal ball shot Von Stupor again, sending his Life Points to 5600.

            "_I have always excelled at guessing games.  Now I shall too summon another La Jinn.  Next, I shall attack your Relinquished with my Bistro Butcher!_"

            The Bistro Butcher quickly stabbed Relinquished in his shoulder flap shield, and in return, received an Absorption Blast attack, felling the Bistro Butcher.

            "Ha!  Relinquished may be mortally wounded, but he can mend his injuries by using his absorbed monster's Life Force!"

            La Jinn sank into Relinquished and its stab wound quickly healed itself.  Having no monster, it opened its shoulder flaps once more.

            "Now I am free to absorb your monster!  Have you forgotten about this power?"

            "_No, I haven't.  I also haven't forgotten about its faults, either._"

            "Oh?"

            "_You cannot absorb another monster until your next turn, but I also have La Jinn on the field, able to attack your Relinquished while its soft underbelly is exposed.  Since your Relinquished also does not have a monster absorbed, its attack has fallen back to 0.  It would be just like a direct attack should I attack it.  …La Jinn, attack the Relinquished now!_"

            La Jinn made a move toward Relinquished, but was suddenly hurled to the ground by an unseen force and could not move.

            "Not so fast, Majora!  I was prepared for this!  I have activated my 'Gravity Bind' Trap card, which restricts all monsters with four or more stars from attacking!"

            "_No!_"

            "Now, my Relinquished, absorb his next La Jinn and attack his Life Points directly!"

            Majora's only monster was sucked into Relinquished, allowing Relinquished to launch another blast at Majora, sending his Life Points to 5550.

            "Since my other monsters are also bound by the pull of gravity, I shall end my turn," Von Stupor finished.

            Von Stupor then sensed a growing anger within Majora.

            _He is becoming increasingly frustrated…  He must be in a tight position…_ Von Stupor thought to himself.

            "_The card in your hand to my left is a monster card,_" Majora declared.

            Agreeing, the crystal ball again shot Von Stupor.

            _That quickly, I lose my Life Point lead…_ he thought to himself.

            "_Next, I shall summon Senju of the Thousand Hands, activating his effect.  Then I shall activate my face-down Trap card, 'Pharaoh's Treasure'.  Once activated, this card is placed inside my deck face-up.  Next time I draw it, I may place any card in my Graveyard into my hand and 'Pharaoh's Treasure' is immediately discarded."_

            "I'll draw… and play 'Different Dimension Capsule'!  It allows me to choose any card from my deck and remove it from play.  Then, on my second Standby Phase after this card has been activated, if it has not already been destroyed, the removed card is then placed into my hand."

            A strange machine appeared beside Von Stupor.  It had an opening where something would be placed and many buttons and levers scattered across it.  A monitor was attached to it and displayed its progress.  It currently said 0%.

            "_Fine, then.  First, I'll use 'Ominous Fortunetelling' to predict that that card in your hand is a Magic card._"

The crystal ball blinked red.

"_I shall now summon a Dark Jeroid of my very own, activating his effect.  I'll permanently decrease your Relinquished's attack by 800 and shift Senju to defense position, ending my turn."_

"I'll draw…"

Just then, the machine's display boosted to fifty percent.

"I shall summon the Bistro Butcher and end my turn without attacking."

"_For 'Ominous Fortunetelling', I predict that the card to my right is a monster._"

            Majora was correct, resulting in another shot from the crystal ball.

            _That card is the only thing keeping him in the lead,_ thought Von Stupor to himself, drawing.  _I have to find a way to destroy it…_  "This is my second Standby Phase, so the card I removed from play is now returned to my hand."

            The machine's display boosted to 100%, and a card materialized inside of it.  Von Stupor took the card out and put it in his hand.

"Now I shall play 'Black Illusion Ritual', and by sacrificing my Bistro Butcher, I may Ritual Summon a second Relinquished to the field!  Now, my second Relinquished, absorb his Dark Jeroid!"

            Once the second Relinquished came into play, it inhaled the helpless Dark Jeroid.

            "Now, my second, attack his Senju while my first and stronger Relinquished attacks his Life Points directly!"

            The two Relinquished rampaged Majora's field.  While one took out Senju with its Absorption Blast attack, the other flew through the smoke and slammed into Majora, sending his Life Points careening to a sparse 3800.

Von Stupor noticed Majora's hand clenched tightly, quivering.  Von Stupor knew he was receiving hideous looks.

"Yeah, Von!  He's got less than half of his Life Points left, you're almost there!" Joey rooted.

"_I predict that the card in your hand to my left is another monster._"

The crystal ball again shot Von Stupor, his Life Points dwindling to 3500.

"_I shall pass the remainder of my turn._"

"This chance… though foolish is one I have no choice but to take!  My two Relinquished, attack Majora's Life Points directly and win this duel!!!"

The two shot their blasts, but they were reflected away by three familiar robed women.

"You have activated Waboku…"

            "_You should know that I would not be defeated so easily,_" said Majora, his voice sounding tense.

"Fine, then.  I shall set one M/T, summon the Spirit of the Breeze, and end my turn."

"Majora's in a squeeze and he knows it," Joey observed.  "Von might actually win this thing!"

When Majora drew his next card, he began to chuckle evilly to himself.

"_This card shall mark the beginning of my comeback,_" he said arrogantly.  "_First I'll summon the Sonic Bird, activating its effect.  Now I am free to play 'Black Illusion Ritual' and Ritual Summon Relinquished!_"

Relinquished burst from its pot and looked around to see two others on Von Stupor's side of the field.  It stared them down menacingly.

"_Now, I absorb your stronger Relinquished and play my Magic card 'Metamorphosis'!  This card allows me to sacrifice one monster from the field to Special Summon a monster from my Fusion Deck whose star level is equal to the sacrificed monster!_"

Once Majora's Relinquished absorbed Von Stupor's, its image began to blur.

"And only one level one Fusion Monster card exists in my deck …" Von Stupor muttered to himself.

"_I shall call forth the Thousand-Eyes Restrict and absorb your other Relinquished!_"

"Wow!" exclaimed Joey.  "Majora offed both of Von Stupor's Relinquished in one turn!"

The Relinquished, who had now transformed into the fearsome Thousand-Eyes Restrict, had lost its previously absorbed Relinquished and absorbed Von Stupor's second without breaking a sweat.  Von Stupor now had a Spirit of the Breeze as his only defense.

"_I am sure you know of Thousand-Eyes Restrict's second effect?_"

"Yes, I do…" said Von Stupor, astonished at how quickly he had lost his advantage.  "No other monster may attack nor change their position."

"That thing is one nasty monster," said Joey to himself.  "Even if he destroys it, he's got his 'Gravity Bind' to cope with!"

"I'll draw," Von Stupor declared.  "And thanks to Spirit of the Breeze's effect, I gain 1000 Life Points during my Standby Phase, provided it's in face-up attack position at the time.  Next, I'll summon the Sonic Bird, activating his effect.  Your Thousand-Eyes Restrict prevents me from changing my spirit's position, so I'll end my turn."

"_I shall now summon my own Spirit of the Breeze.  Normally my Thousand-Eyes Restrict's attack would be 0, but due to your 'Mystic Plasma Zone', it gains an attack point bonus of 500.  This now gives it a 500 point lead over your Spirit of the Breeze, so now I may attack it.  Absorption Beam attack!"_

Thousand-Eyes Restrict shot a laser from its eye that cut straight through Von Stupor's Spirit of the Breeze.  It cried in pain prior to exploding and Von Stupor's Life Points sank to an even 4000.

"I have no moves, so I'll pass my turn," he announced.

"_Very well.__  Next, I shall predict that the card in your hand to my left is a monster._"

The crystal ball blinked red in disagreement.

"_No matter.__  I gain 1000 Life Points from my Spirit of the Breeze during my Standby Phase and then I shall move on to my Main Phase, where I shall equip my Thousand-Eyes Restrict with 'Malevolent Nuzzler!_"

A succubus appeared out of a portal and stroked the arm of Thousand-Eyes Restrict, raising its attack by 700.

"_With my newfound strength, I shall now attack your La Jinn with another Absorption Beam attack!_"

"Attack as you might, I do not lose points from your attack!  Only Relinquished possesses the power to punish its opponent for destroying their own absorbed monster, and henceforth, you shall be punished by 1100 points!"

"_I'm not aiming for your Life Points, you dolt; observe!_"

Thousand-Eyes Restrict shot a beam at La Jinn, but with a wave of his hand, the beam was reflected back at the monstrosity, piercing its arm.  Thousand-Eyes Restrict healed its arm using the equipped Relinquished's life force, making as if nothing happened.

"_Since my Thousand-Eyes Restrict no longer has a monster and has yet to activate its first effect, I am now free to absorb another monster— and I shall choose your La Jinn!_"

Von Stupor watched in surprise as Majora's monster absorbed his last line of brute force.

"_Now not only does my Thousand-Eyes Restrict benefit from your 'Mystic plasma Zone' and my 'Malevolent Nuzzler', it has equipped itself with your La Jinn, raising its attack to a grand total of 3000!  Try to stand against me now, Von Stupor, I can now crush any of your defenses._"

Von Stupor drew his next card and his eyes opened wide.

_Not any defense_, he thought as he sacrificed his Sonic Bird to set a monster.

"I shall now play 'Offerings to the Doomed'!  By skipping my next Draw Phase, I may destroy one of your monsters, and I shall choose your Spirit of the Breeze as the target!"

The Spirit of the Breeze looked around her to see candles surrounding her.  Then, from out of nowhere, a jagged sacrificial knife stuck her in her chest.  She shrieked and vanished into thin air.

"I end my turn!"

"_You fool!!!  You should have destroyed my Thousand-Eyes Restrict while you had the chance!  Attack his face-down monster now!_"

Thousand-Eyes Restrict shot a beam at the set card, revealing it to be a Labyrinth Wall.  The stone wall shot up in front of Von Stupor as it was struck by the beam.  The shot hardly phased the mighty earthen structure.

"_I had forgotten about that damned wall,_" Majora muttered to himself and ended his turn.

"I cannot draw, for my Draw Phase is skipped.  However, I can now play 'Monster Reborn' and revive the Relinquished you have destroyed!  Next, I'll absorb your Thousand-Eyes Restrict, leaving you with no further monsters to defend yourself with!"

When the Thousand-Eyes Restrict was absorbed, the succubus fled into a portal, never to be seen again.

"Relinquished, you have 0 attack, but you still gain the 500 point bonus from my 'Mystic Plasma Zone'!  Utilize it and attack his Life Points directly!"

Relinquished hurled itself across the field and tackled Majora, knocking his Life Points down to 2700.

_I… I cannot lose…_ thought Majora to himself.  _Not to him…  Not to him…  I've worked too hard…  All my manipulation will not have been in vain!_  "_I predict that the card in the center of your hand is a monster._"

Von Stupor was struck once again by the crystal ball.

"_I shall set one M/T and end my turn._"

"Now, I may play 'Polymerization'!  By fusing my Relinquished with the Thousand-Eyes Idol in my hand, I may Fusion Summon my own Thousand-Eyes Restrict!"

"Yeah!  Way to go, Von!  You're getting him!" Joey cheered.

The Thousand-Eyes Idol appeared on the field, hovering.  The idol and Relinquished floated toward each other, and in a great flash of light, merged to form the Thousand-Eyes Restrict.

"Now," continued Von Stupor.  "I shall play 'Malevolent Nuzzler' on _my_ Thousand-Eyes Restrict, raising his attack to 1200 with the aid of 'Mystic Plasma Zone', of course!"

Another succubus appeared and rubbed itself against Thousand-Eyes Restrict's arm.  Von Stupor noticed a sweat drop running down the side of Thousand-Eyes Restrict's eye.

"Now, my great beast, attack Majora's Life Points directly!"

The Thousand-Eyes Restrict flew at Majora and slashed his side on the way past him.  It then returned to its original position, and Majora's Life Points fell to 1500.

Joey was now quiet.  He watched Von Stupor with great nervousness and excitement.  Even with Von Stupor's obvious disadvantage due to Majora's 'Ominous Fortunetelling' claiming over half of his Life Points, he still stood strong.

"_I draw and predict that the card in your hand to your right is a Magic card,_" Majora stated.

The crystal ball again shot Von Stupor, bringing his Life Points to 1900.

"_You had best be careful, Baron Von Stupor, I may not need to break down your wall to conquer you._"

"Your 'Ominous Fortunetelling' is all that keeps you alive!"

"_It is called strategy, Von Stupor.  You should have learned it while you had the chance.  Next, I shall play 'Black Illusion Ritual' and sacrifice a monster from my hand to summon Relinquished!  Absorb his Thousand-Eyes Restrict!_"

Majora's Relinquished struggled against the Thousand-Eyes Restrict's spell, and after a few moments, it conjured enough strength to successfully inhale the gruesome creature, breaking its hold on the field.

"_Now, since my Relinquished is a Special Summon, I may sacrifice it to Tribute Summon the strongest monster in your deck, the mighty Summoned Skull!  Strategy, Von Stupor, just like I said.  Your turn."_

"I shall summon Sailor Mercury!"

Sailor Mercury appeared on the field and did a quick pose.  She then looked around, confused.

"Wh… where am I???" she sputtered.

"_What?  What is this???_" Majora asked, puzzled.

"Hm.  Wrong card game.  I shall remove Sailor Mercury from play and draw a new card!" Von Stupor stated.

"What?" asked Sailor Mercury.

"Hey!" Joey called to her.  "You've been removed from play!  Come over here!"

She hesitated for a moment, and then followed Joey's command.

"Hey, I know you from the T. V. show, hee hee!" he giggled.

"You… what???" she asked, more bewildered than ever.

"I'll explain later.  Right now, we want the guy in the mask to win.  _Go Von!!!_"

By now, Von Stupor had set one M/T and sacrificed his Labyrinth Wall to Tribute Summon the Summoned Skull.

"That ends my turn," he announced.

"_Very well.__  Is the card in the middle of your hand a Trap card?_" Majora asked.

The crystal blinked red and Majora frowned.

"_I'll set one M/T and end my turn._"

"I shall summon the Witch of the Black Forest and end my turn."

"_I'll predict that the card in the middle of your hand is… a Magic card!_"

Von Stupor was struck once more.

"_Hah!  Baron Von Stupor, I am afraid this duel has been won!  Summoned Skull, attack his Witch of the __Black Forest__ and deplete the rest of his Life Points!  Your body is mine, Baron Von Stupor!_"

The Summoned Skull took one step and fell straight to the ground.  After a brief struggle, it stood back up, panting.

"_What is this?!_"

"I may not know strategy like you do, Majora, but at least I take into consideration all cards on the field.  My 'Gravity Bind' prevents all level four or higher monsters from attacking.  Has the mighty Majora forgotten about this?"

The playing field shook as Majora screamed, "_Don't you dare question my mental capacity, Baron Von Stupor!!!_"

"Wa ha ha!  Frustrated, are we?" asked Von Stupor drawing his next card.  He hesitated looking at it for a moment.  _If I draw the card I need, this duel will be over…  I must believe…  I must believe in the liver of the cards!_

Von Stupor looked at his card and slowly looked up at Majora.

"I win…" he whispered.

"_Speak louder._"

"I…  I win, Majora."

"_What?  No, you don't.  How?"_

"There is nothing you can do that can stop me now…"

"_There is, I am sure of it, heh, heh._"

"I shall play 'Black Illusion Ritual', sacrificing my Summoned Skull to summon my third and final Relinquished…"

"_No…_"

"Next, I shall absorb your only monster, Summoned Skull…"

"_This…  This can't be happening…_"

"Now, my wondrous Relinquished.  Fear not, I shalt protect thee.  Thou hath served me well, but not I need'st you more than ever.  Do not fail me now.  Go now and attack Majora's Life Points with all your strength, use your Absorption Blast attack and _win me back what is rightfully mine!  My life!!!"_

Relinquished nodded and turned to face Majora, who was standing in utter shock.  Joey could have sworn he saw a tear run down Relinquished's eye before it took off toward Majora.

"_Oh?_" said Majora in surprise.  "_It appears I am not finished after all, Baron Von Stupor.  I shall activate 'Mystical Space Typhoon'!  It is a Quick-Play Magic card, which means that if it is set for one turn, it can be used as a trap for my opponents!_"

A black tornado rose up between Relinquished and Majora.

"_I shall destroy your Relinquished's Summoned Skull, as it is treated like an Equip Magic when it is absorbed, leaving me in the game with 1000 Life Points!_"

"Not so fast!  By discarding a card from my hand, I can activate my 'Magic Jammer', which is a Counter Trap card, making it quicker than your quickly played Quick-Play Magic card!  It is now negated and destroyed!  Majora, you cannot escape your fate!"

The tornado dissipated just before Relinquished touched it, and Relinquished continued barreling toward Majora.

"_Ha ha ha!!!  Very well!  __I shall use my trump card, 'Skull Lair'!!!  I shall remove cards in my Graveyard out of play that are equal to your monster's star level, immediately destroying it!!!  I cannot be defeated by the likes of you Von Stupor!!!  Never!!!"_

The Skull Lair rose up from the ground and Relinquished soared straight into it.  Majora watched with pleasure as he heard the earth shattering crack of electricity from within it.  Just then, though, out of the smoky dust emerged Relinquished, continuing its mission, stopping for nothing.  It stopped and looked right into Majora's panic stricken face and began charging its Absorption Blast attack.

"_No…  How- how can this be?!_"

Behind Relinquished, the Skull Lair crumbled.

"Heh, heh, heh…  I told you there was nothing you could do to stop me…  By paying 1000 of my Life Points, I activated 'Seven Tools of the Bandit', another Counter Trap card, that negated the effect of your Trap card and destroyed it.  I win, Majora… by 200 points."

Just then Relinquished loosed its attack.

"_Nooooooo!!!_" Majora screamed at the top of his lungs as Relinquished's blast blew up in his face, sending his Life Points to 0.

Joey jumped and cheered, happily embracing Sailor Mercury, who was still completely dumbfounded at what was happening.

"_No…_" said Majora in shock.  "_How could I lose?  How could I have possibly been beaten?  I… I have so much more experience than you…  So much more skill…  I even controlled your own deck, your monsters…  I knew every trap, every trick you did…_"

"Majora, no one can defeat me with my own deck," Von Stupor assured him."

Just then, a black tentacle shot out from the shadows and grabbed Majora by his wrist.  He dropped his cards, and they along with his duel disk disappeared.  Two more shot out and grabbed the now struggling sorcerer's legs.

"_No!  I will not allow myself to be beaten by this… boy!_" he shouted.

Meanwhile, outside the fog, Yami and all of his friends were gathered around it.

"I don't get it, why would Von Stupor duel Majora?" Tristan asked.

"Earlier when he passed Yugi, I could sense great determination boiling in his mind.  I believe he's trying to end his deal with Majora— even if it costs him his life."

Back inside the fog, Majora had one tentacle wrapped around each appendage, two around his neck, and three more grabbed his waist, aiding the five already there.  Using his dark powers, he resisted still.

            "Accept your fate Majora!  Fulfill your end of our deal," said Von Stupor.

            "_I… will… not… be… defeated… especially… not… by… you!!!_" he shrieked as he exploded his aura around him, disintegrating the tentacles that had ensnared him.

Majora roared and it seemed like the entire Shadow Realm shook with the blimp.

            Yami and friends raced for the stairwell as the fog's size increased.

            "_Fools!__  Begone!_" shouted Majora at Joey and Sailor Mercury, teleporting them out of the Shadow Realm.

            They reappeared in the stairway that led down into the blimp.  There Yami and company stood, looking at the fog.

"Joey!  What happened?" asked Yami quickly.

            "Von won the match, but Majora's actually resisting the power of the Shadow Realm!"

"He does have vast amounts of power in his mask."

"…And considering that Majora currently controls half of that mask's power…"

"One can only imagine the potential it could have at full strength…  What appears to have happened, is that—" Yami's eyes the widened.

"What?  What happened?" asked Tristan.

"I was correct…  Majora did not take his loss lying down, and now a new shadow game has just begun."

Inside the fog, Majora looked at Von Stupor with raw hatred.

"_This section of the Shadow Realm has its limits, as you can see.  I have expanded the Shadow Realm to include this entire portion of the blimp.  Whosever is unlucky enough to touch any of the limits shall be sucked into the Shadow Realm for eternity.  This is your true chance, Baron Von Stupor…  If you want your life back so badly, then come!!!  Come and take it from me!!!_"

"_That I shall!!!_"

**Well now, things have gotten awfully interesting.  You know, I have another midi that will suit this event quite perfectly.  Therefore, if you wish to enhance your Von Stupor experience ten fold, let me know at eternalpackrat@hotmail.com with the subject "battle theme" and I'll send it to you for only three easy payments of $19.95!  Well, maybe not.  Just drop me a line and I'll hook you up with the midi.**


	18. The Clash of the Masked Duelist

**Greetings, all!  I am now visiting my friend in Pennsylvania for a week and now will either be able to get a severe amount of the fanfiction posted if not the rest of it!  I have not forgotten about you, my loyal readers!  Actually, more has occurred in the saga of the "craputer".  As it turns out, we gave it to a friend to fix for us.  About a week later, I was told that he left for a few days on a business trip.  When he returned he was greeted by a house with a broken sewage pipe that resulted in his house drowning in human excrement.  I was also told that the computer… drowned in poo.  Well about three or four more months passed (I think, I don't know how long it has been since I last posted) when I was told that it was never on the floor and didn't get destroyed.  SO, now it should be in the hands of another friend who will hopefully fix the damned thing.  Anyway, I shall start right away on more of "The Masked Duelist"!**

"The Clash of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

            Von Stupor and Majora each used the mask's power to create flyswatters and charged each other.

            Majora went for a downward backhand, but Von Stupor blocked and tried an overhead strike.  Majora swatted Von Stupor's swatter to the side and gave a left hook to his gut, followed by a chop to his throat.

            Yami and friends felt an ominous sensation fly throughout their minds.

            "What happened???" Téa asked in fear.

            "They're… they'redoing battle!" Yami said in shock.  He knew what had just happened, but thought it best not to tell anyone.

            Von Stupor squatted down, hacking.

            "_Remember, Von Stupor,_" commented Majora.  "_This time we're not in a dream.  You're in my world, and now you're my bitch._"

            "II am no man's whore!" Von Stupor cried, launching a mask-created mouse ball at Majora, hitting him square in the nose.

            Blood burst from Majora's nose as Von Stupor got back up.  While Majora was clutching his nose, Von Stupor went into a frenzy of flyswatter combos, striking his face from all directions.  His assault ended with a quick shoulder ram, sending Majora backward.

            Majora looked at Von Stupor, his face like a beet.  Von Stupor charged at Majora, but stopped as Majora made a backhanded counterstrike.  His blow missed horribly, throwing him off-guard.  Von Stupor seized this and rushed in with an upward backhanded swing.  Majora instead caught Von Stupor's wrist and twisted it around, forcing him to bend over.  Majora kicked him in his ribcage a few times.  Von Stupor then reached around his back and with his free hand, shot a magical blast from his palm, hitting Majora in his chest.  The force knocked Majora backward, landing on his rear.

            "Who's winning?" asked Tristan.

            "I don't know… they're still neck and neck," answered Yami.

            "_Von Stupor, why do you stand against me?  I cannot be defeated,"boasted_ Majora.

            "If I am not mistaken, you made that very statement before our duel, or something similar," he coolly replied.

            Majora angrily shot a blast of dark magical energy at Von Stupor.  It nearly hit him had he not danced out of the way.

            "_Hmmm…  You appear to be utilizing the mask more than I originally thought.  You are increasing your physical traits, such as agility with it,_" observed Majora.  "_Let us see how you perform without it…_"

            "What?!" cried Von Stupor.

            "_Yes… I am the one who can remove the curse that binds that mask to your face as I am the one who set it in the first place.  Therefore, I shall use my power to extract my mask and its power from your very being!!!_"

            Von Stupor clutched his head and cried in agony as he felt a sharp force pulling at his face.

            Purple smoke emitted from under the mask as it peeled off his face.  It fell to the ground and before Von Stupor could react, Majora shot a magical blast at it, knocking it away.

            Majora then rushed at Von Stupor and smacked him across the face with the flyswatter and with the other hand, tightly grabbed him by the throat.

            Von Stupor gasped for air and Majora tossed away the flyswatter, which faded away into nothing.  Majora then proceeded to batter Von Stupor's face with his free hand.

            After a few good hits, Majora felt a sharp pain in his stomach.  He looked down to see that the barely conscious Von Stupor had stabbed him with a mechanical pencil he had inconspicuously pulled from his jacket pocket.

            _To win this battle, I will need that mask,_ he thought to himself as he shook off his haziness.

            "_Do you honestly believe that a mere flesh wound can stop me?_" Majora asked, healing himself through the power of his mask.

            "My primary goal was not to harm you… but to distract you!"

            Majora narrowed his eyebrows and Von Stupor hurled a couple coins at majora's face, one hitting him in the forehead, followed by another that struck his eyeball.

            As Majora cupped his eye in pain, Von Stupor charged at him.  Von Stupor lunged into a flying tackle, knocking both duelists down.  They both flopped and rolled ever closer to the edge of the blimp.  They got up and in unison, interlocked their hands into a grapple.

            They struggled against each other, neither one being forced down.

            "I defeated you once…  I defeated you twice…  I will defeat you thrice!" Von Stupor encouraged himself.

            Von Stupor then began to lose his strength; his endurance had run out.  Majora forced him down and ignited his hands in purple flames, burning Von Stupor's hands.  Von Stupor struggled to let go, but Majora held firm.

            Von Stupor cried out in pain once more, and another evil sensation flew through the minds of Yami and company.

            "_No!_" Yami shouted.

            "Oh, no!" exclaimed Joey.

            "Something horrible has happened!" said Téa.

            "I cannot stand idly any longer!" Yami said holding up his Millennium Puzzle.  "This is not a legal Shadow Game any more, therefore by the power in my puzzle, I shall intervene!"

            His puzzle glowed vibrantly and allowed him access to the depths of the black fog.  He had entered the Shadow Realm.

            The first thing he saw was Majora over Von Stupor, cooking his hands with his dark magic, cackling.

            "_Now, Baron Von Stupor, I shall—_" he started.

            "_Majora__!!_" Yami shouted at him, cutting him off.

            Majora dropped Von Stupor and looked towards Yami, smiling evilly.  Von Stupor fell to the ground and began to rock in pain, staring at his horribly burnt hands.

            "You have lost this game, Majora!  Accept your punishment now!" ordered Yami.

            "_Pharaoh…_" Majora said, very coolly.

            "This game is unofficial, Majora!  It is merely a childish attempt to weasel out of your fate!"

            "_No!!!  I have worked too hard to return to that mask or be left in the shadows!  I shall not let that happen!!!_"

            "It is too late."

            "_Do you know what it is like, spending over one thousand years in confinement, unable to do anything?!_"

            "Actually, I do."

            "_You what— actually, it does not matter, Pharaoh.  I shall not accept this loss._"

            "Majora, either you shall accept your fate or I shall force you to!"

            "_Actually, how about we settle this with a little game?_"

            "No more games, Majora!  Your reign over Von Stupor's life ends now!!!"

            Yami shot a beam of light from the eye on his puzzle, directed at Majora.  Majora retaliated with his own dark beam, generated by the mask's power within his spirit.  The beams met with a flash and wrestled with each other.  Yami and Majora faced off, neither gaining an advantage.

            "_Little do you know, Pharaoh, my power has greatly increased over all this time, enough to rival a Milennium item!_" Majora informed him.

            "No mater how powerful an evil is, it shall never overpower the strength of the friendship between my friends and I!"

            However, Yami slowly began to become overwhelmed.  His beam began to shorten as Majora's came ever closer to him.  Just before it hit Yami, another beam was launched from nowhere, working against Majora's.

            "_What is this?!_" he cried out in shock.

            Majora peered behind Yami to see Von Stupor, wearing the mask again and helping Yami.

            "_No!  He… he has healed himself through the mask!"_

            "Yes," Von Stupor admitted.  "…And as you have said before, Majora, you came from me, so you possess half of the mask's power, as do I!  Once our halves clash, they are canceled out, leaving Yami's power to finish you off!"

            "_No!  No!!!  How is this possible?!_" Majora cried as Von Stupor and Yami's combined strength crushed Majora's, hitting him square in his head.

            There was an immense explosion and Majora was sent hurling over the edge.  The shock to his head shorted his power and thusly, he was unable to recover.

            Majora screamed the entire way down, and once he hit the boundary, he was sucked into the true Shadow Realm, defeated.  Almost instantaneously the fog cleared away, revealing a dark night sky.

            The only light around came from either the moon or the stairwell leading into the recesses of the blimp.

            Yugi's friends ran up to the top and began running toward Von Stupor.  Sailor Mercury poked her head out curiously.

            "Majora has been vanquished," stated Yami.

            "Yes," Von Stupor agreed.  "and I cannot thank you enough for saving my life."

            "You're more than welcome, Von Stupor."

            "All of my mental energy was spent using the mask.  All of my physical energy was spent fighting Majora.  Therefore, I am very, very tired now.  Behold, I sleep!"

            Von Stupor then quickly passed out.


	19. My Big Fat Obnoxious Masked Duelist

"My Big Fat Obnoxious Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

Von Stupor awoke in a room full of different games and puzzles. He looked around to see board games upon board games stacked on every shelf. A partially completed jigsaw puzzle littered itself across a nearby desk.

He looked under the covers to find himself in a pair of pajamas. His shirt was a button up. Oddly enough, they fit him quite well. They were light blue with light red vertical stripes. His mask remained on his face, but he could adjust it at will. He then knew for sure that Majora was gone.

Feeling adventurous, he hopped out of bed and meandered his way out of the room, down a short hall, and to a stairwell. Before he ventured down the stairs, he listened for voices.

"He's been asleep for some time, but I'm sure he'll be okay," he heard an elderly man saying. "His mind and body were completely exhausted, so he will need a lot of rest."

_I do feel rather tired still,_ Von Stupor thought to himself.

"You're right," he heard Yugi say. "He just needs some time to rest. It was rather stressful, fighting in three shadow games in a single night, and two of them actually strained his mind."

Knowing Yugi was downstairs, Von Stupor dismissed any suspicion and strolled downstairs. At the bottom he saw Yugi, Tristan, Serenity, Joey, and the old man he assumed to be Solomon Mutou, Yugi's grandfather.

Once noticed, everyone began to cheer for Von Stupor.

"Congrats, Von!" Joey said, patting his back. "You finally got rid of Majora! You're free!"

"Yes," Von Stupor replied. "Yes I am. I _am_ free..."

"We left your mask on because we figured you would want to be the one to finally take it off," Tristan informed him.

"My... my mask? I... couldn't."

"What? Why?"

"This mask is a dangerous weapon. It could be used for evil should I take it off, even for a moment. 'Tis best I leave it on. Besides, I wouldn't feel right... without it on. I wouldn't be me. I must keep this mask on, for the good of mankind!"

"Well," said Yugi. "If that's really how you feel..."

"We've washed the clothes you wore yesterday," said Solomon, changing the subject. "...And those are Joey's pajamas, so you may want to return them after you change."

"Yes, I may wish to change now. After all, now that I have successfully recovered the Millennium Eye, I must find a way to get to Duelist Kingdom so as to visit Pegasus."

Téa then got a worried look on her face. She loked as if she wanted to say something, but couldn't.

"Something is on your mind, Téa? Come, lift it, and reveal to us what troubles you so!" offered Von Stupor.

Téa's face turned a bit red and she stuttered, "Oh, um... uh, it's nothing, really."

Von Stupor nodded and pranced up the stairs.

Solomon turned to Yugi and said, "You mentioned he was a little eccentric, but... to be honest I thought you were exaggerating..."

Von Stupor trotted happily into Yugi's bathroom to change his clothes. Though being able to remove it would definitely make things easier for him, he knew that though its demon no longer lived within, he must still wear it whenever possible. It is still a source of tremendous power, and should never fall into the wrong

hands.

_It's really quite odd,_ Von Stupor thought to himself. _I almsot feel... paranoid without it. I may perhaps be a bit... psychologically dependent on it staying on my face, as it has protected me during many a peril. I shall continue wearing this mask, though not because it is my trademark, but because I feel it is my duty to protect myself and others, even though, ha ha, I still don't fully understand how to use it. Being in the Shadow Realm magnifies the ease of channelling its true power because of the large emphasis it has on the power of the mind, I suppose._

I wonder, if I did not put these pajamas on myself, then who... but then that would mean... I... shall think of this no more.

Von Stupor fastened his jeans prior to heading back downstairs. Upon reaching his destination, he heard everyone in the dining room. He peered in to see them all eating lunch.

_I have slept quite late,_ he thought to himself.

"May I... uh, may I join this feast of noon?" he asked.

"Why, of course!" said Solomon cheerfully. "There's bread in the bread box underneath the microwave and peanut butter is above it in the cabinet. The jelly is in the refridgerator door."

"I'm... allergic to peanuts."

"Oh, my! You are?"

"No. Hooray for peanut butter!"

Solomon gave him a strange stare and returned to his sandwich.

Von Stupor finished making his peanut butter and jelly sandwich and sat at the table with everyone else. He pulled his mask up enough so everyone could see his mouth and bit into the sandwich.

"By the way, Von Stupor," Téa started. "I remember how your cope got... destroyed, so I went to a tailor and... well, hang on a second."

She went into the living room and brought back a coat that looked just like Von Stupor's.

"I went out the next day and it was still there, on the ground, so I went to a tailor and had them fix it back up. I hope you like it..."

Von Stupor took a deep breath and let out a loud squeal of delight. He leapt from his chair and skipped over to Téa, embracing her.

"_Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! My cope hath returned thanks to you, Téa!_"he screamed."_You are indeed my shining star-- _Gurk!"

Just then, he hunched over and grabbed his chest. He scooted away quickly, holding his repaired cope with his free hand. Everyone stood up.

"Von, are you okay?!" Joey cried, concerned.

"I am fine, I am fine, really..." he replied, his breath shaking.

"You sure??? What was that???"

"It's nothing, never mind. I'm fine. Thank you ever so much, Téa. This is the greatest gift I have ever recieved."

"You're... you're welcome..." she said, still stunned from recent events.

Von Stupor then resumed eating his lunch.

"So, um... how do you plan to get to Duelist Kingdom, Von Stupor?" Yugi asked.

"Well, I believe I will borrow one of Kaiba's corporate helicopters."

"He's... not very fond of you, do you know that?"

"He will hate my guts once he let's me use his helicopter, heh heh."

Von Stupor finished his lunch and prepared to head out for KaibaCorp.

Upon arrival, he was stopped by two men in business suits. They were quite large and menacing. They sported extremely dark glasses, preventing their eyes from being seen.

"What business do you have here?" asked the taller of the two.

"I am here to use a helicopter," answered Von Stupor.

"Why do you need it?" asked the shorter.

"Does it matter?"

"Has this been arranged with Mr. Kaiba?"

"That is what I am here for."

"Has this meeting been arranged?"

"Yes, I arranged it as soon as I arrived."

"What time?"

"Right now. Must you keep me waiting?"

The two men looked at each other, their eyebrows raised.

"Fine, then. Go ahead," the taller said, sighing.

Von Stupor trotted happily into the building. Upon entering, he saw a young girl working at the reception desk.

"Hello!" she greeted, noticing him. "Welcome to KaibaCorp, home of Duel Monsters technology! Are you here on business?"

"I am here for fun," Von Stupor replied. "However, part of it is business."

She narrowed her eyebrows in confusion for a moment, then looked at her computer. "What is your name?" she asked.

"Von Stupor. Baron Von Stupor."

"Okay, um... hm. I'm very sorry, you're not on the schedule."

"Did you capitalize the V?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! Silly me, I'll check again... Actually, I'm not sure if the search engine is case sensitive... um, I'm still not seeing you on the schedule, I'm sorry."

"Oh, alright. Thank you for checking."

"No problem. Have a nice day!"

"As should you."

Von Stupor began to walk toward the elevator when the receptionist began to speak again.

"Um, sir, you're not on the schedule," she said.

"I know that, silly head! You just told me!"

"...But you have to be on the list to proceed."

"Oh, I apologize. Schedule me for right now."

"I... can't do that."

"Why not?"

"You'll have to speak to his advisors to schedule an appointment with Mr. Kaiba."

"Oh, I won't be long. You'll not ever know I'm here."

"Sir, I can't let you do that."

"Plee?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No!"

"Please?"

"Sir, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Please?"

"Sir, I will call security if I have to."

"I'll give you a Canadian quarter."

"What???"

Just then, the girl gasped.

"I know you!!!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide. "You tied with Yugi Mutou in the tournament!"

"Why yes, yes I did."

"Wow, I watched all of your battles over the internet! You're just awesome! Could I have your autograph?"

"Why don't we cut a mutual agreement? Let me pass, and I'll give you an autograph."

"I... I could lose my job for that..."

"Trust me, you shall not."

"Okay, then... I'll show you where to sign."

Von Stupor gave the girl his autograph and proceeded into the elevator, shuddering with terror.

_Why???_ he thought to himself, ready to cry. _Why can't one be happy with the gender they were born with???_

He took the elevator to the highest floor, the location of Kaiba's office. The door opened and Kaiba looked up at him from his desk.

"How dare you enter my office without permission? What do you want and how did you get past security?" he demanded nastily.

"I come to you with a business proposition," answered Von Stupor.

"This had better be good."

"Allow me to use your helicopter."

"...And?"

"...That is it."

"That's not a business proposition."

"Yes it is."

"Then what do I gain out of it?"

"I will gain access to your helicopter, and you shall gain the self-appreciation of doing something nice for someone! Namely me."

"No. Now get out, I have an important meeting coming up, and never show your face around here again."

"Please?"

Rather than respond, Kaiba picked up his phone and called in security. As two guards dragged Von Stupor away, he cried, "You can separate our bodies, but you can never take our love away!"

Kaiba looked him in disgust and went back to his paperwork.

"There is a Mr. Naga here to see you, Mr. Kaiba," said a voice on his intercom.

"Send him up," he replied.

After a moment, the elevator doors opened. Inside stood Von Stupor.

"Please?" he asked.

Kaiba angrily called secureity once more, and once more, Von Stupor was dragged out.

"I need to check the R&D department," Kaiba muttered to himself, making for the elevator.

The first thing he saw when the elevator doors opened on the R & D department's floor was Von Stupor.

"Please?" he asked.

Kaiba quickly called security and Von Stupor was dragged away yet again.

"Sir, we have a problem here," an employee called to Kaiba.

"What's the problem?" Kaiba asked, going over to him.

He stood up and turned around, revealing Von Stupor.

"I need a helicopter. May'st I use yours?" he asked.

Kaiba's eyes opened wide.

"Weren't you just...?! But how...?!" he stammered.

"How what?"

"...Nothing. You will not use my corporate helicopter. Now get out! I don't have time to be dealing with the likes of you!"

With this, Kaiba walked away. He went up to an employee working on a computer and asked, "What is the progress on the new virtual world?"

The employee simply turned and said, "Please?"

"What the...?! You were just over there!"

"Please?"

Kaiba ignored him and quickly walked into a bathroom. He stepped into one of the stalls and sat on the toilet, rubbing his temples, groaning.

"Stressful day, eh, Mr. Kaiba?" said a man in an adjacent stall.

"I'm being harrassed by some fool about using my corporate helicopter for whatever stupid reason he may have, not that it's any of your business," he replied, coldly.

"Well, then, may I use it?"

Kaiba jumped up and peered over the stall to see Von Stupor standing there.

"Tut, tut, Seto of Kaiba, no peeking!" he said, shaking is finger back and forth.

Kaiba ran out of the bathroom and into the elevator, slapping for the button to his office. Once there, he slammed the door to his office and locked it. He turned around and lo and behold, Von Stupor was sitting in his chair. Kaiba threw him out of the office and locked the door before he could get back in.

"Please?" Von Stupor asked, calmly knocking on the door.

"_No!!! Go away!!!_" Kaiba shouted, turning to get to his desk phone to call security again.

To his extreme dismay, Von Stupor's knocking had stopped and there he sat in Kaiba's chair once more.

"Please?" he asked nicely.

Just then, Kaiba broke.

"_Alright!!! Fine!!! You can use it, just please leave me the hell alone!!!_" he screamed.

"OKAY!" Von Stupor cheered enthusiastically. "When can I use it?"

"Tomorrow morning," Kaiba said, his voice whimpering. "Come here tomorrow morning and you can use it..."

"Wow, thank you so much, Kaiba! You have a super day!"

Von Stupor recieved a twitching stink eye from Kaiba as the elevator doors closed.


	20. The Confession of the Masked Duelist

**Greetings, all! I was counting my reviews and wouldn't ya know it, I have now recieved reviews from ten different people! YAAAAAAY! That means I can give everyone their surprise as promised! Haven't you ever wanted to meet Baron Von Stupor? Haven't you always wanted to talk to the man behind the insanity? Well, now you can, via AIM! If you ever see the screen name "Baron Von Stupor" online, drop him a line! He's always happy to chat with his fans!**

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"Confession of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

"I don't know... I know he has important things to do, but... It's just that I sometimes wonder if he might be avoiding me..." Téa said softly to Bakura. "It's almost as if he just put up with me. I mean, every time we're around each other, he acts like he's having a heart attack, and every time I try to talk to him, something always came up."

"I don't quite think he's avoiding you," replied Bakura. "Every time something came up, it _was_ pretty important."

"But he heard us talking in the blimp about him!"

"Ah, I just remembered! I never had another chance to tell you, but he didn't know we were talking about him, per se..."

"What?"

"He actually thought we were talking about Yugi."

"I... oh... But what about when he grabs his chest?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't answer that, Téa, but listen to what I have to tell you. So far your feelings for him have torn you apart. Whether he feels the same about you or not, you will never feel better unless you confront him. You have to tell him."

"You're right, I do... I'm really afraid to... but I have to do it. Do you know where he is?"

"Well, I don't know exactly, but he's leaving for Duelist Kingdom today, I'm not sure what time."

"Oh, no! I' didn't know about that!!!"

She whipped out her cell phone and dialed quickly Yugi's number, fumbling with the numbers.

"Thank you for choosing the Kamé Game Store, we buy and sell rare cards," Yugi's grandfather answered.

"Is Yugi there???"

"Téa! Are you alright?"

"Yes, but it's urgent!"

"Well, okay... hold on."

The phone clicked off and elevator music began playing. After a moment, it clicked back on.

"Hello?" she heard Yugi say.

"Yugi! Do you know where Von Stupor is?"

"He already left to go to Duelist Kingdom a few minutes ago. I tried to call you so you could say good-bye, but you weren't home..."

"Where was he headed?"

"Uh, he somehow convinced Kaiba to lend him his helicopter, so wherever that is, he'll be there."

"Kaiba? I mean, thanks, Yugi!"

"No problem!"

She hung up the phone and asked Bakura where Kaiba's helicopter was.

"I saw it land on top of the building once."

"Alright, thank you, Bakura!" she called as she ran out of the house.

_I'll have to catch Von Stupor before he enters the building or I'll be too late!_ she thought to herself as she raced down the sidewalk.

Along the way, she was stopped by the thug that had originally destroyed Von Stupor's cope.

"Well, if it isn't--" he started.

"I don't have time to mess around, so get out of my way!" she shouted, punching him in his nose. He staggered out of the way and she resumed running.

As she rounded the corner, she saw KaibaCorp's building. She set her sights on the building and blindly ran into Von Stupor from behind.

They both toppled to the ground, Téa landing on Von Stupor, who was face down in the road.

"Von Stupor!" she exclaimed, panting. "I'm sorry!"

She got back up, helping Von Stupor.

"Do not be, for the ride was quite fun, save the sudden stop at the end," he replied. "I thought I'd not get a chance to bid you farewell, Téa."

"I know, I'm sorry, but please don't go, not yet... I have to talk to you."

"Well, I'm running a tad late as is... but I shall make time for you, my comrade. That word sounds like it has Russian origin, does it?"

"I don't know, but look... I don't quite know how to say this, but I... I mean, I don't know if you feel the same way, but... I... I think I've grown... feelings... for you..."

Von Stupor took a step back when he heard this.

"Strong feelings... I've had them for a while... It's just that I've been too scared to- to tell you, because I... I didn't know if you felt the same way about... me. I've grown very fond of you... Von Stupor... and... whether you feel the same about me or not, I would never be able to rest until I told you."

"The blimp..." Von Stupor stated in shock. "You... you did not speak of Yugi?"

"No... I like _you..._"

Von Stupor reached up and clutched his heart, wobbling a bit.

"Please, Von Stupor, don't do this to me again..." Téa pleaded, her eyes starting to well up with tears.

"I... I... can't help it..." he choked out, breathing heavily.

"You mean... that's not... an act?"

Von Stupor didn't respond.

"You're... you're afraid of my feelings, aren't you?"

"One... one-one could say that, yes..."

"But... why?"

"I am unsure... This fear has plagued me for many years... I am burdened with this curse... this curse that forbids me from either expressing feelings or accepting them... Just the thought fills me with utter terror..."

"Tell me, though... Do you share my feelings for you?"

"I... uh... I..."

Von Stupor shuffled his feet a bit.

"I... cannot... give an answer... Alas, my mind forbids me..." he struggled.

Téa stepped forward to him and and reached up to touch his mask. He stood, still as a statue, frozen in fear as er hand examined every texture, indent, and edge. She could clearly tell he was terrified.

She slowly leaned forward and gently pressed her lips against his mask. Instantly, Von Stupor leapt backward, nearly falling. He looked at her with surprise, panting. Téa stared back slight sadness in her eyes.

"I... I'm... sorry..." he choked. "I can't..."

"It's okay..." she said softly back to him. "At least... now you know... You can go now..."

Von Stupor slowly turned to walk away towards the KaibaCorp building. After he took a step, he stopped.

"No!" he said to himself, punching a nearby roadsign. "I can't let this happen again..."

Téa noticed a tear drop out from under the mask.

"Wh... what?"

"No... my fear has broken another heart as well... I felt yours being ripped in twain as I began to walk away..."

Von Stupor turned to face her.

"What should I do?" he asked.

"Do what your heart says..."

"My heart is currently thrashing about my ribcage; I doubt it is in the mood to speak."

"Is this... meant to be?"

He walked over to her, and after much hesitation, he embraced her. As he held her, she could hear his voice rasping.

"I... don't... know..." he whispered.

"It's okay," she whispered back. "You don't have to decide now... My fellings are reserved for you, Von Stupor. Just promise me some day you'll come back... and give me an answer."

"Yes... Yes, I will..."

"Good-bye, Von Stupor..."

"Good-bye, Téa..."

He then turned and went into the building. Téa remained outside and watched Von Stupor until the helicopter left her sight. For a moment, as she watched the helicopter window, she thought she saw him looking back at her.

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**Awww, how touching! Again, I apologize for the... delaying of chapters, stuff keeps happening! Either I got stuff to do, or I'm somewhere else, or my parents are home (and like I said before, if I get on while my parents are home, they ALWAYS kick me off within a few minutes), etc. However, I have not given up on my story! And I also want to get my stupid fictional story done, too. Was hoping to have that freaking 5 chapter story done by Christmas. Of last year. Sheesh. Ayways, as always, stay faithful! This fic WILL see it through to the end!**


	21. The Idol of the Masked Duelist

"The Idol of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

After what seemed like an eternity, Baron Von Stupor, with the aid of the helicopter pilot finally arrived at Duelist Kingdom.

"Would'st thou be'st so kind as to park the helicopter here?" Von Stupor asked the helicopter pilot.

"Sure thing, hold on." replied the man, maneuvering the helicopter to a suitable location.

Once the helicopter was safe for disembarking, Von Stupor asked the man, "How long can you stay?"

"Eh, I got a few good hours before I gotta go."

"Excellent. I shall bring news later."

"Gotcha."

Von Stupor was on the left side of the castle, so to reach the entrance, he would have to make through the forest.

The forest was dense and dark, especially with no one to be seen in any direction. As he continued to blunder through the trees, he came across a path that stretched in either direction. Using common sense, Von Stupor concluded that the route to the right would lead him to the castle, so he promptly began to follow it.

After a few minutes, someone came into view, walking in his direction. Von Stupor could see the insignia of the rare hunters on the hood of the stranger's cloak. Von Stupor watched as the mystery figure approached him. He had his hood up, shrouding his face in darkness.

"I haven't the time to waste with you, rare hunter," Von Stupor said sternly.

"Hey there, Stupor!" said the man energetically.

"So you have heard of me?"

"Oh, of course! It's been some time since I saw you last, though."

"Your cloak still stinks."

"Uh… what?"

"Nothing. Anyways, I must proceed. Farewell."

"Hey, wait a minute! How about a quick duel? I'll make it quite interesting…"

"I told you, I haven't any time to waste on a rare hunter!"

"What? Ohhhh, I'm not a rare hunter. This is a cloak I stole from one after creaming him in a duel. Really sucked, he did. _Anyway_, you sound like you're in a hurry, so I'll let you go. Besides, there will be much better opportunities in the future, if you know what I mean…"

"Hm? I don't."

"Bah! Don't worry your little masked head about it. All in due time, my friend. So, you're going to see Pegasus, huh?"

"Indeed I am."

"Well, best of luck to ya. They wouldn't even let me in! So, see you around… Baron Von Stupor."

With that said, the man simply walked down the path away from the castle. The whole conversation left Von Stupor very puzzled.

_Quite odd,_ he thought to himself. _He spoke as if he knew me…_

Von Stupor dismissed his confusion and continued forth. After a short while, he reached the castle. In front of the entrance stood Kimo, one of Pegasus's guards.

"How-dee-doo!" Von Stupor greeted him. "Would'st thou be kindest enough as to let me in to visit Maximillion?"

"I am under strict orders not to let any visitors inside the building," he replied coldly.

"But… but I am Baron Von Stupor, his friend."

"I don't care if you're his dead wife, you're not getting in."

""Hmph! I would advise you not make comments about the poor girl."

"Oh, really? What are you gonna do about it?"

"If you fail to show respect for Mrs. Pegasus, I may have no choice but to _hand your ass to you._"

"Feh! Get out of here before I call reinforcements."

"Very well, then. May the fleas of a thousand sweaty camels feast happily on your lower regions."

Kimo didn't respond and Von Stupor left. He made his way back to the helicopter, picking up a large rock along the way and instructed the pilot to take off. He stuck the rock in his cope.

"We headin' back to Domino already?"

"No, merely taking a detour. Go to the highest room in the tallest tower."

"What? Why?"

"You'll learn once we get there."

The pilot obliged and Von Stupor peered inside the window. He spied Pegasus sleeping soundly in his bed. Amazingly, he didn't wake up from the helicopter's thundering.

"Excellent," Von Stupor muttered to himself. He then said to the pilot, "Move closer, but keep me facing the window."

"Hey man, you're not thinking of jumping in there, are you?!"

"No, I shall glide in."

"No way! I can't endanger you like this!"

"Look at it this way, then. Whether you get closer or not, I shall jump for that window. You'll only be endangering me more by not doing what I ask."

"You're a damned fool. Kaiba's gonna kill me if something happens to you," the pilot muttered to himself as he closed in on the tower.

"Better yet," Von Stupor said as he saw a rope ladder tucked in a corner.

He threw the ladder down and proceeded to climb down. Von Stupor gestured at the pilot to back up. He then pulled the large rock out of his cope and proceeded to drop it. He watched it fall all the way down and crack Kimo in his head.

_Wa ha ha… Karma, my friend,_ he thought to himself and gestured for the pilot to go higher and closer.

Rocking the ladder back and forth, Von Stupor summoned enough momentum to swing over onto the ledge outside his window. He managed to catch it and dangle for a moment prior to swinging onto it, hoisting one foot up and clinging to it. He gave a thumbs up to the pilot and he flew away to park the helicopter.

He rolled into the room and fell on a table. After getting off of the table, he assessed the damages. All he managed to do was knock over Pegasus's deck and knock three cards out of alignment that were lined up on the table. He straightened up Pegasus's deck and placed the three cards on the table as they were.

_Happy Lover? Mask of Darkness? Doma the Angel of Silence? Ah, well,_ he thought to himself.

Quite surprised that Pegasus had still not awakened, he moved over beside his bed and nudged him gently, calling, "Pegasus… Pegasus…"

Pegasus began to slowly open his eyes when Von Stupor screamed out "_My Body As a Shield!!!_"

Pegasus shot up in his bed, screaming. He then turned to Von Stupor.

"Who are you??" he cried. "Wait… That mask…"

"'Tis I, Pegasus! Baron Von Stupor!"

"Von… Von Stupor! How in the world did you get in here???"

"Why, I crawled through the window."

"Von Stupor, the castle itself is three stories high."

"I had outside help…"

"Ha ha, I know your ways. Whatever bring you to my domain?"

"Well, once you ceased contact with me, I began to worry. I was afraid that something had happened to you…"

"Ah, yes… I'll have to tell you about that."

"Ho ho, there is no need to. I formulated my deck and ventured to Japan to enter the Battle City tournament, held by Seto Kaiba in hopes that I would find any clues as to what had happened to you, as I know how useless it is to ask questions to your staff. As it turns out, I discovered what had happened to you through the owner of the Millennium Ring himself."

"The white-haired boy…"

"Yes, Bakura… Not only did I find the culprit, I promptly repaid his deed… and recovered what is rightfully yours."

Von Stupor pulled the Millennium Eye out of his pocket and showed it to Pegasus, who stared in astonishment.

"You engaged yourself in a Shadow Game… for my sake? But… why???"

"Well… over the years, we have grown to be great friends, but… I have also referred to you as… well, as an idol of mine, even. Besides, I just did what any real friend would do. We help each other. I could not stand idly while someone who has wronged you walks away a free man!"

"Von Stupor… I'm really flattered… but I'm afraid I can't accept it."

"Eh?"

"I was chosen to possess that item for a reason, and yet I abused its power. It's magical abilities corrupted me and my decisions. I wouldn't even listen to you, my trusted advisor and best friend. I know now that I'll never be able to see my darling Cecilia again, so I want to cut my losses. Please, Von Stupor, do me one last favor and rid me of that accursed thing. You can do more good with it than I can."

"You… entrust me with a Millennium item?"

"The Millennium items were given to people, but were always meant to find their way back to one person. Though they may not go directly, they will always wind up in the same place. That is what is called fate. Who knows what I will do if I should possess such a power once more. I want you to make sure my item fulfills its purpose in your life and then finds its ultimate owner."

"Very well, Pegasus. I shall do it."

Just then, the Millennium Eye began to glow and float into the air. It faced away from Von Stupor and shot towards his face, striking him with such forced that he was knocked backward, nearly hitting the table with his head.

Von Stupor stood back up, wobbling. Pegasus looked at him with great surprise.

"The eye…" he said. "It fused with your mask…"

"Eh?" said Von Stupor, looking in the mirror above Pegasus's dresser.

The mask had completely transformed. It was now a lustrous purple mask, shaped like a shield. It had intricate red lines that formed a gigantic eye in the center of the mask.

"Why… it looks like the Mask of Truth," Pegasus observed. "But the Mask of Truth is white, not purple…"

_Even though Majora is gone, perhaps there is still darkness within this mask… _Von Stupor thought to himself._ It was used for evil, after all. Perhaps now that Majora has been removed, I must now purify the mask and cleanse it of its sin. But how? Perhaps there is more to this mask than even I know…_

"You went to great lengths to avenge me…" Pegasus began. "You put your very life on the line to defend my honor. Even though I didn't want the eye back, I still want to give you something to show my undying gratitude."

"You need not repay me, Pegasus," responded Von Stupor.

"No, I want to give you something, anything within my power. You name it."

"In that case, all I request is for you to make my dream come true."

"What will that be?"

"I wish for you to do me the honor of engaging in a duel with me."

"That's all?"

"You need not thank me with material possessions. I am honored enough merely being in your presence. Simply duel me and I will leave a very giddy man."

"Ha ha ha… so modest. Well then, a duel you shall have, only involving the very best of my abilities! Simply allow me to change into my clothes."

"Ah, yes. Right, then."

Von Stupor left the room and in a few minutes, out followed Pegasus in his traditional red attire.

The two traveled down the tower and into the base of the castle, where they entered a dueling arena.

Von Stupor walked along the path next to the dueling platform to the side opposite Pegasus.

Looking around, Pegasus sighed and said, "This is the very platform I dueled Yugi on in the final round of the Duelist Kingdom Tournament… Though it crushed my dreams, I can't help but admit that the duel was nothing short of spectacular… Well, then. I suppose we should get started?"

"My wish… has finally come true," Von Stupor softly said to himself and drew his hand.


	22. The Dream of the Masked Duelist

"The Dream of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

Von Stupor's hands shook as either duelist drew their hands.

"Shall I do the honors" asked Pegasus.

"By all means, commence" replied Von Stupor.

"Then I shall set two M/T and one monster."

"I shall set three M/T and end my turn."

"I pay 1000 of my Life Points to play my 'Toon World' Magic card! Now, I'll sacrifice my set monster to summon the Toon Summoned Skull"

Pegasus's set card flopped into a large pop-up book prior to a demented version of the Summoned Skull peered from inside. Its head shot out, eyes beaming, a humungous grin on its face.

"It's quite a shame that you must already fall victim to my lovely toon monsters, as they may attack your Life Points directy, ha ha" chortled Pegasus. "However, no cartoon can make an impact as soon as it airs, therefore my Toon Summoned Skull cannot attack during the turn it was summoned. However, I may play 'Premature Burial', which allows me to bring back my Nimble Momonga from the Graveyard and attack your Life Points directly"

A Nimble Momonga crawled out from the ground portrayed by the dueling arena. Like lightning, it shot at Von Stupor, striking his chest and sending his Life Points to 7000.

"Now, my counterattack begins" said Von Stupor. "I shall play 'Pot of Greed' and draw two cards. Next, I shall play 'Fissure', destroying your Nimble Momonga, and since he was not destroyed as a result of battle, his effect is not activated"

The ground rose up and overlapped itself over the Nimble Momonga, swallowing it whole.

"Next, I'll play 'Mystical Space Typhoon', and blow away your Toon World, as well as your Toon Summoned Skull with it"

The typhoon whirled around the giant book and tore it to pieces. The Toon Summoned Skull rapidly spun around, its tongue flopping to and fro and ultimately turned into a picture of itself, flying away with the typhoon.

Pegasus's cocky grin turned to a straight face again.

"I have no moves, so I'll pass my turn" he stated.

_I must build up my defenses,_ Von Stupor thought, and activated 'Nightmare's Steel Cage'."

"Now neither one of us may attack for two of my turns" Pegasus observed as two large cages were lowered down on top of either duelist's monster zone.

"Indeed" agreed Von Stupor. "And that shall end my turn."

"I'll once again draw and end my turn."

"Hmmm... as shall I."

"I shall now activate 'Monster Reborn' to bring back my Nimble Momonga to the field in defense mode! Your turn."

The two cages then lifted up, allowing the two players to attack again.

_Blast! I still haven't any moves, and my Life Points are like an overturned porcupine!_ Von Stupor thought, frantically. "I shall pass this turn."

"Oh? That's all" Pegasus wondered. "Surely the Battle City champion couldn't possibly be this weak! Dueling must have really gone soft since I was dethroned, ha ha."

_There is a difference between being weak and being skunked..._ Von Stupor thought in reply.

"Now, my Nimble Momonga! Attack his Life Points directly" commanded Pegasus, and his momonga oediently lunged at Von Stupor, striking him in the chest once again and dropping his Life Points to 6000. "Next, I'll set one monster and end my turn."

Von Stupor glared at his next card.

"I set one M/T and end my turn" he said, irritated. _I shall not allow myself to be beaten by my idol simply because I cannot draw a single monster! Not until now have I ever gone five turns into a duel without drawing a single monster..._

"Go, my Nimble Momonga, attack his Life Points directly once more"

"Not so fast! I activate 'Magical Cylinder', and your monster attacks _your_ Life Points instead of mine! Feel the taste of your own potato chips"

The Nimble Momonga flew into a cylinder in front of Von Stupor and out of another, aimed at Pegasus. It flew out and struck him in his genitals.

He looked up at Von Stupor wide-eyed and said"Had this been a shadow game..."

"You might have forfeited" Von Stupor finished.

"That's very possible, ha ha. Anyway, now that I have taken damage to my Life Points, I may activate my 'Numinous Healer' Trap card, which increases my Life Points by 1000, basically cancelling out the attack altogether."

A fairy nurse appeared and dropped some magical powder on Pegasus, restoring his Life Points to 6200.

"Mmmmmmm, I feel refreshed! Ha, ha, ha! Oh, I believe it's your turn."

"Very well, then! I'll start off by summoning the Witch of the Black Forest! Next, I'll attack your set monster"

The witch cast Meghid on the set monster, revealing it to be a Cyber Jar.

_Yes!_ Von Stupor thought ot himself. _Pegasus is helping me more than he bargained for. Cyber Jar will destroy all monsters on the field, including my witch! That, in turn, will activate her effect! In addition, we'll both have to draw five cards, and any monsters level four or below are special summoned in either face-up attack or face-down defense positions!_

Out of their drawn cards, Von Stupor summoned a Sonic Bird while Pegasus set two monsters and summoned a Vorse Raider.

"Hmmm... As part of Main Phase II, I shall play 'Dian Keto the Cure Master' and raise my Life Points by 1000! Next I shall play a Magic card I am sure you're well acquainted with... 'Black Illusion Ritual'"

Pegasus's eyes widened in surprise.

"I see you have made good use of the cards I sent to you... I expect no less" he said, chuckling.

"Why, thank you! Tee hee! I shall sacrifice my Sonic Bird to bring forth Relinquished from my hand"

As Relinquished burst from its pot, Von Stupor felt a sense of delight emanating from from it as it stared at its creator.

_Eh? Should this occur in a hologram?_ he thought. "Next, I 'll absorb the Vorse Raider"

Relinquished turned and looked at Von Stupor, as if it were trying to say something. Von Stupor stood and said"Fear not, by beautiful creature! 'Tis a game made in good fun! No ill effect will come upon you"

Reassured, Relinquished turned back around and inhaled the Vorse Raider.

"It seems you are also well aware of the secret past within these cards..." Pegasus said to himself. "It is good to know that you understand the existence of the souls of the monsters existing within my dueling cards."

"I shall activate 'Mystic plasma Zone'" continued Von Stupor. "Which increases the attack of all DARK-type monsters by 500 and lowers their defense by 400! Next, I shall play 'Dian Keto the Cure Master'! My Life Points are now boosted by 1000"

Dian Keto appeared and used her healing energies to boost Von Stupor's Life Points to restore Von Stupor's Life Points to 7000.

"I shall now set one M/T and end my turn."

"Fine, I will begin by sacrificing one of my set monsters to summon the Summoned Skull" Pegasus began. "Next, I'll attack your Relinquished with Lightning Strike"

The Summoned Skull proceeded to zap Relinquished, reducing Von Stupor's Life points to 6400 and Pegasus's to 5600. Relinquished consumed its inhaled monster, keeping it alive.

"I'll now set one M/T and end my turn" he finished.

_Pegasus uses this monster, therefore I doubt his ignorance to its ful effect... No doubt he's up to something... but what? _Von Stupor thought to himself.

"I do not trust your M/T cards, so I'll play 'Mystical Space Typhoon' and destroy the one you just set"

"_No!_" Pegasus cried as his set Mirror Force was swept into the vortex.

"Next, I command Relinquished to absorb your Summoned Skull"

Relinquished sucked up the Summoned Skull without hesitation.

"Next, I'll play 'Change of Heart on your face-down monster"

Pegasus clutched his forehead in suspense.

"Now, I flip summon your Nimble Momonga and attack you directly with Relinquished"

When Relinquished blasted Pegasus, only 2600 of his Life Points remained.

"As you know, Relinquished is a DARK-type monster, so he gains the 500 point boost from my 'Mystic Plasma Zone'. Next, I'll attack you directly with the NImble Momonga"

"Your first atack caught me off-guard, so I couldn't activate my trap, but at least I can fend off this one! I'll activate 'Magical Cylinder' and send your attack right back at you"

The cylinders sent the squirrell hurdling back at Von Stupor, knocking his Life Points down to 5400.

"Now it's my turn" said Pegasus fiercely. He was now serious. "I'll play 'Raigeki' and destroy your Relinquished! Next I'll summon the Vorse Raider and attack your Life Points directly with both monsters! Thanks to your 'Mystic Plasma Zone', my Vorse Raider also gains a 500 point boost"

The Vorse Raider gave Von Stupor a fierce stab and the Nimble Momonga flew into his face, leaving him with a mere 2000 Life Points.

"Wonderful comeback, Pegasus! Truly remarkable! I'll draw... and activate 'Swords of Revealing Light'! You cannot attack me for three more turns"

The swords of light shot out and surrounded Pegasus's monsters.

"I'll sacrifice my Nimble Momonga to summon another Summoned Skull and end my turn."

"I shall summon the Whiptail Crow and end my turn."

"I'll set one M/T. Your turn" said Pegasus, wiping a bead of sweat from his head.

"I'll play 'Dian Keto the Cure Master' and raise my Life points by 1000 once more! Next I'll summon the Copycat, and I choose to copy the attack and defense of your Summoned Skull"

As the Copycat grew to match the strength of the Summoned Skull, Pegasus chuckled.

"All the better, my friend, all the better! I'll activate 'Bell of Destruction' on your Copycat, and since your Copycat is a LIGHT-type, it does not gain the 500 point bonus, and it therefore only gains the base attack of my Summoned Skull"

A flaming ring tightened itself around the Copycat's waist and ignited itself. The Copycat was blown apart, the shrapnel sending Von Stupor's Life Points to 500 and Pegasus's to a slight 100.

"...And now, we move onto the final few turns of the duel..." Pegasus uttered as Von Stupor nodded in agreement.

"I'll set one M/T and end my turn" said Von Stupor. _Dian Keto saved me..._

"I have no moves, so I'll end my turn, and your swords are no more."

The swords aurrounding Pegasus's monsters fizzled for a moment and burnt out.

"I'll set another M/T and end my turn" Von Stupor stated. His hands were shaking with excitement again. "The... the intensity of this duel... 'tis like no other..."

"Yes, this duel is by far one of the best I've ever faced. You have certainly managed to bring back my competitive spirit. So, now, I'll begin my turn by attacking your Whiptail Crow with my Vorse Raider"

"The duel is not won yet! I shall activate 'Metalmorph' on Whiptail Crow, raising its atack by 300"

A metal coat of skin appeared all over the Whiptail Crow as the Vorse Raider rushed it. He swung his sword and hit the gargoyle's neck, but it was left unfazed. It retaliated with a devastating blow from its tail, sending Pegasus's Life Points to 50.

"Fine then, I'll use Summoned Skull to attack your Whiptail Crow! With only 50 Life Points left, what have I really got to lose"

"I'll activate 'Negate Attack'! Now your Summoned Skull's attack is negated and your Battle Phase is over"

The electricity seared towards the Whiptail Crow, but hit an invisible barrrier that grounded the attack. Pegasus raised an eyebrow.

"Next, I shall utilize Matelmorph's second effect! Any monster my Whiptail Crow attacks shall have half of its base attack points added to my monster for the duration of the Damage Step! That means that once I attack your Summoned Skull, my Whiptail Crow's attack shall become 3950, more than enough to win this duel! Go, Whiptail Crow, use your Whiptail Whip"

"I'm sorry, friend, but the duel ends here, as I activate my trump card, 'Mirror Wall'! All of your attacking monsters' attack is halved, giving my Summoned Skull a 1075 point advantage over your Whiptail Crow"

"N... no"

The Whiptail Crow flew toward the wall and bludgeoned an image of itself that had appeared on the wall. The attack on itself cancelled out, leaving the Whiptail Crow severely weakened. The Summoned Skull then came forth and finished it off with Lightning Strike, sending Von Stupor's Life Points to 0.

"I, but... I... I lost" he sputtered in disbelief.

"Ha ha, even without my Millennium Eye, it appears I haven't lost my touch. Well, Von Stupor, it was fun, but I'm afraid that I emerged victorious. Better luck next time, old chap! Ha ha ha..."

"Hm. Well, I gave it my all, and that matters, I suppose. Being the best certainly doesn't give one much reason to better oneself, after all."

"I agree. Excellent duel, though, I'm greatly impressed with your skill."

"I thank you for your compliment, and now, since all wrongs have been righted, and the world is now in balance, I am afraid that I must now take my leave of thee. My purpose here is done" Von Stupor said, motioning to lower his dueling platform.

"Well, don't be in such a hurry to leave, there's still an important matter I must discuss with you."

"Oh"

"Yes, we'll talk about it over some lunch, hm? What do you say"

The two wandered their way to the dining room while a butler fixed lunch. Their food was served quite fast. They both had ham salad sandwiches. Pegasus enjoyed red wine while Von Stupor sipped from a soft drink.

"Are you sure that the aftertaste from the ham salad would interfere with your enjoyment of the wine and/or vice versa" Von Stupor asked him. "You seem to drink it with everything..."

"You'd be surprised" he replied. "Anyways"

"Are you a wino"

"Wh-what"

"You know, a wino. You know, like an alcoholic drinks a lot of alcoholic substances because he is addicted, but there is a special name for people who drink wine due to an addiction, they're called winos. Are you one"

"Call it a passion" he replied flatly. "You know, even to this day, the innocence in your questions continue to baffle me."

"Innocence"

"I know you're not being sarcastic, you're honestly asking and saying these things, but there are things you should just wonder about to yourself."

"You mean like stinky cloaks? _No, the rare hunters need to know about them._ Those cloaks are very stinky! 'Tis a wonder that they have any friends outside their group! In fact, 'tis a wonder they don't recognize the stinkiness even when I said something! Great scott! Do you think their noses were desensitized"

"Never mind, Von Stupor, never mind." Pegasus sighed with a slight chuckle. "Anyway, what I was wanting to discuss with you earlier is about your plans."

"Plans? For the future"

"Yes, what do you intend to do when you're older"

"Well, I've never really thought about it."

"Your skill at Duel Monsters implies a passion for games. Is this true"

"I suppose you could say that."

"Well then, let me cut straight to the chase. I want you to be my vice-president and CEO of Industrial Illusions."

"What! You-you do not think this decision is a bit hasty or a tad sudden"

"I will not deny how sudden it is, but I know this is far from hasty. I trust you, Von Stupor. I trust you with my very life. Ever since you started giving me suggestions on things, you've always been my 'right hand man'. I would just like to make that a little more... official."

He stopped to take a sip of his wine.

"This is amazing... but the job, it is strenuous, no" Von Stupor asked.

"Only to those who aren't cut for the business, and you, my friend are definitely cut for the business. I've implemented your ideas, as strange as they are, and achieved phenomenal results! Think about it- you're already garduated, you still have a whole future ahead of you, and you've already recieved a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity! Your success in life is guaranteed in a field you already have a passion for! Can you really turn a chance like this down? You'll have access to a corporate jet, so transportation is not an issue! No matter where you live, you can work from any computer with internet access! more importantly, you'll have your best pal as your business partner, ha ha."

"You are justified in your words... Well... Very well, then! I shall do it! I shall do only my very best to help you run the company"

"That's the spirit! Stay the night here, and we'll fly to Industrial Illusions in the morning, and first thing, we'll fill out the necessary paperwork. After that, you can go home and prepare for your brand new job! Deal"

"Deal"

"So, Von Stupor, now that all that is out of the way, tell me all about your adventures in Battle City."

"**_OKAY!_** It all began when I stopped recieving e-mails from you..."

Just then, the legend of Baron Von Stupor was born.

* * *

**Fear not, my readers! One more chapter remains! It will be the epilogue to the story. Stay tuned!**


	23. The Epilogue of the Masked Duelist

"The Epilogue of the Masked Duelist"

By: Von Stupor

Yeah, okay," said Tristan to the restraunt manager. "but you may also want to talk to your employees about respect for your customers."

"Excuse me? He showed you disrespect?" asked the manager, intently.

"Yeah, he leans down real close to me and says, 'Either make your order or get out of the damned store.' I don't know if he has other things to tend to, but I don't think that's any way a paying customer should be treated."

"I'll tell you what. Forget the discount, the meal's on me."

"You're sure about this?"

"I can't risk losing customers, so I'm hard on showing respect. You can eat tonight for free, and I'll have a serious talk with the waiter."

"Alright, thank you so much!"

The manager then walked away.

_Thanks, Von Stupor._ Tristan thought to himself with a smug look. _Heh, heh, what a pal._

"Alright, I'm not going to teach you how to be me. I find it rather creepy and you already seem to have that down already. However, if you manage to survive my training, you'll probably be just as good a wind duelist as I am, okay?" said Mai to Nina.

"I'll do whatever you want, Master! If you tell me to do anything - anything at all - I'll do it! I'll wash your clothes, I'll give you manicures and pedicures, I'd lick your boots! If you really wanted, I'd even"

"Hey! No getting weird on me, either, you know I hate it."

"Oh... Okay."

Nina then looked towards the sky and thought to herself, _Thank you so much, Baron Von Stupor. You've... given me more than I could have ever imagined... Thank you..._

"Hey, Joey!" Yugi happily said as Joey appeared at his door. Beside Joey stood Sailor Mercury in casual attire.

Joey noticed Yugi staring at her in confusion and said, "Well, she's a friend, right? We certainly know she's not evil, right? Ha, ha."

"Yugi!" shouted Solomon. "Come quick, you won't believe this!"

The trio ran into the living room to find Von Stupor on the television.

"Holy crap!" shouted Joey. "Von's the vice-president and CEO of Industrial Illusions!"

"What? No way! Pegasus must have been really grateful or something." exclaimed Yugi. "I guess if Von Stupor decides to contact us, we'll have to ask him how all this happened."

"Hell, I'd still like to know how he summoned Amy here into existence."

"Actually, I'm still rather confused about everything that's going on here," Amy chimed in.

"Yeah, I'm not too good at explaining things... maybe Yugi here can do a better job," commented Joey.

"Shhhhhhhh!" Solomon shushed. "Von Stupor's going to talk."

"We have footage from a recent press conference," stated the reporter on the television.

Von Stupor appeared on the screen.

"Exactly where was Mr. Pegasus this whole time?" asked a reporter.

"'Tis not a matter of where he _was,_ but where he _wasn't._ He certainly wasn't in Russia. He is actually a man of great taste, as he likes 'Funny Bunny'!" Von Stupor stupidly replied.

"Why did he choose you as vice-president and CEO of his company?" asked another.

"Well, I believe that it's quite obvious that there aren't any coins in my pocket. Do any of you have money for me to fetch some snacks from the vending machine?"

"You're just making simple ramblings! Why aren't you giving us any answers?"

"Oh, I have been giving you answers this whole time, just not the ones you're looking for. Thank you all for coming, it's been fun!"

Von Stupor then stepped down and walked away while a company official came to the podium to make closing statements.

"I sure hope Pegasus knows what he's doing," said Joey flatly.

"You listen here, Mr. Stupor. We've had enough of your beating around the bush! It's about time we got down to business or the deal's off," said Jay Crawford, owner of a rival company.

"Very well, then," Pegasus agreed, leaning back in his chair and drumming his fingers together. "So you wish to purchase the rights to Duel Monsters, do you?"

"Yes, and we are willing to pay you very well for them."

"Hmmm... what kind of money are we talking about, could you give me a figure of some sort?"

"We are willing to give one hundred thousand American dollars for the game rights."

"Very intriguing offer. Perhaps"

"Are you sure?" Von Stupor jumped in, cutting him off. "Duel Monsters is facing a massive decline in supporters. You may wish to pick another game, perhaps Capsule Monsters?"

Crawford snorted and said, "Your choice in executives is very poor, Mr. Pegasus. Do you really think we haven't done any research? Duel Monsters sales are rising exponentially!"

Pegasus rubbed his temple with his finger in irritation.

"Perhaps that is all the more reason that we should keep the Duel Monsters rights, then?" Von Stupor said bluntly.

Pegasus sat forward and gave Von Stupor a look. Von Stupor read from it that Pegasus was asking him what the hell he was doing.

"Well now, let's not get rash, shall we?" said Crawford, backing down a bit. "We are still giving a rather hefty offer for the game's rights."

"Well, you act as if I speak lies. Think, my stupid friend, can you not see patterns? Duel Monsters sales have been stupendous for months now, far surpassing the sales of even a few top-notch video games. Why, it's even becoming a way of life! _However,_ as the saying goes, 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall,' and there's no denying that the game is merely a fad. Despite its size, it will always be labeled a fad. It has definitely had a long run, but is bound to come crashing down. Where we both have good reputations, should you purchase Duel Monsters rights just for the game to plummet to its doom could not only severely damage your funds, but your reliability in the eyes of the general public. Who wants to buy a game from the company that 'supposedly' killed Duel Monsters?"

"Since when did you start caring about another company's reputation?"

"While we at Industrial Illusions are honest businessmen, we are also honorable. We don't want to sell a game that is potentially destructive. We believe that the competition helps to keep us on our toes, at our best for only making the best of games for eveyone, even if it means we must help the opposition every so often."

Pegasus raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Well then, what do you suppose we do?" asked Crawford curiously.

"I would suggest purchasing something that shows promise. After all, we must accomplish something, hm? How about Capsule Monsters?"

"Capsule Monsters is a poor choice," Pegasus jumped in. "It only appeals to younger children. However, Monster Fighter has been rather bland lately, without many interesting ways to play, and yet it remains a small hit. That in a game shows awesome potential, I believe."

"Interesting point," Crawford concurred. "Fine, we'll settle on that. How much would you like?"

"Well, we aim to encourage competition between companies, so let's settle on the mere sum of thirty thousand American dollars? Nothing too expensive, I hope."

"Not at all, let's simply sign the proper paperwork and I'll be on my way."

"'Twas a pleasure doing business with you," thanked Von Stupor.

After Crawford left, Pegasus turned to Von Stupor and said, "My boy, you are a genius."

"Eh?" he grunted in confusion.

"Your business skills are unparallelled! You protected the largest franchise we have, gave us a wonderful profit, attained the trust of another company, and got rid of a game that was doomed for complete and utter failure!"

"I had your aid..."

"Granted, but I'd have never thought of such a maneuver, it even took me a short while to catch onto your plan."

"Heh."

"You don't truly think Duel Monsters will meet the fate you predicted, do you?"

"In time, it will indeed die, but I am confident that the money made shall be morethan enough to last fpr the remainders of our lives."

"Ha, ha, wise answer. I knew when I chose you that you were perfect for the job."

Kaiba walked into his office and turned on his computer.

"It's time to see if they replied to my offer yet," he muttered to himself.

When he opened his inbox, he saw a message sent from Indstrial Illusions with the subject 'Thankies!'. He opened it, and a virtual Baron Von Stupor marched onto the screen.

"Hello Kaiba! It's still Karp," it said in a grainy, digitized voice, matching that of Von Stupor.

Kaiba grunted in irritation.

"Anyways, on to my point," said the sprite. "'Twas very kind of you to lend me your helicopter. Because of this, the ultimate result is my new position as vice-president and CEO of Industrial Illusions! Grand, isn't it?"

"Lovely," Kaiba sarcastically muttered to the computer.

"Now, I know you're probably still in your usual totally un-good mood, therefore I shall cheer you up! Behold, I shall serenade you as thanks with a song I wrote myself! I call it, 'One Potato Two Potato Red Potato Blue Potato.' Ahem."

Kaiba's eyes opened wide as his computer blared Von Stupor's song.

"I like potatoes, yes I do!

I think I'm gonna name them, just for you!

Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, sweet potato pie,

Scalloped potatoes, raw potatoes, potato chips and fries!"

Kaiba looked up, wide-eyes as his staff came up to his office via the stairs to see what the racket was about. He tried to tell them it wasn't his doing, but Von Stupor's screeching got even louder.

"_Red potatoes, fried potatoes, sweet potato, too!_

_Tater tots and skins, and even potato stew!_"

Everyone was now laughing at Kaiba.

Red-faced, he screamed to the heavens, "**_God damn you, Baron Von Stupor!_**"

* * *

**Well, I am sad to say that this is now the end of the story. However, do not cry! For a sequel has been planned! Might take a while, though, I still have to get the storyline down, but expect it to happen! Here's a few things you can expect!**

**Another baron!**

**Sailor Mercury duels!**

**More bad guys!**

**Lots of Orichalcos action!**

**With that said,I shall bid you all adieu. Thanks for maintaining your faith! See you around! I don't know how to end this comment, so I'm stopping right... now.**


End file.
